Highlights
1) Apple introduced its AI initiative, Apple Intelligence, in June and unveiled new iPhones on Monday.
2) The timeline for when these iPhones will feature the highly anticipated AI capabilities is still uncertain.
Apple enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting details on the new iPhone and its AI-powered features. However, it’s still unclear when the device will receive the much-anticipated custom emojis, text summaries, and other AI enhancements that Apple has developed.
At Monday’s Glowtime event, Apple showcased these AI features alongside other hardware updates, including a new Apple Watch capable of scuba diving and an improved camera button on the iPhone 16 for better photo-taking.
Since Apple unveiled its AI initiative, Apple Intelligence, in June at WWDC, fans have been hoping for more specifics on these features. Unfortunately, Monday’s event offered little new information on the rollout of these AI capabilities.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, announced that the first set of AI features would be available in beta next month, with additional features coming later. However, he did not specify which features would be included in this initial release.
This uncertainty may be a concern for those considering the investment in a new iPhone. Apple is counting on these AI enhancements to drive sales, with the iPhone 16 starting at $799, the iPhone 16 Plus at $899, the iPhone 16 Pro at $999, and the Pro Max at $1199.
The timeline for AI feature availability also varies by region. Federighi mentioned that next month’s beta will be limited to US users, with English speakers in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK gaining access in December. Speakers of Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish can expect these features sometime in 2025.
Despite the uncertain timeline, Apple made it clear that AI is a major focus. Executives highlighted the AI capabilities teased in June, including summarizing email action items and generating emojis based on user prompts.
The new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, both unveiled during Glowtime, are designed with AI-specific chips. According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, these phones are built “from the ground up” to support Apple Intelligence.
