San Francisco: Apple is set to unveil its highly anticipated iPhone 16 lineup on Monday, with a significant shift in focus from hardware upgrades to advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The launch event, held at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, will highlight how AI will transform its flagship device.
Scheduled for 10.30 pm IST (1700 GMT), the event follows Apple’s developer conference in June, where the company introduced “Apple Intelligence,” its version of generative AI capable of generating text, images, and more. Apple also showcased an enhanced version of its voice assistant Siri, featuring integration with ChatGPT, a popular chatbot developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI.
Read more: iPhone 16 launch today | Check price & key features.
Apple’s new focus on AI comes as the iPhone faces increased competition in China, especially from Huawei, where consumers demand more AI-driven features. Notably, Huawei has scheduled its own product announcement just hours after Apple’s event. However, Apple Intelligence still requires approval from Beijing for release in China. The recent decision by OpenAI to block access to ChatGPT in China could complicate the AI integration into Siri for Chinese users.
The iPhone continues to be a key revenue driver for Apple, contributing to more than half of its $383 billion in sales last year. The company is banking on the AI-infused iPhone 16 to encourage consumers to upgrade in the face of a slowdown in iPhone sales. Earlier this year, Apple reduced prices in China due to growing domestic competition and government restrictions.
The iPhone 16 will be the first in Apple’s lineup designed specifically around AI features. However, many of these features will also be available on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models. In addition to the iPhone, new versions of the Apple Watch and AirPods are expected to be unveiled at the event.
Apple’s AI push comes as competitors like Google, which develops the Android operating system, are also emphasizing AI in their devices. Google recently showcased its AI assistant, Gemini Live, and announced new AI features for Android-based devices like those from Samsung and Motorola. Google even moved its Pixel smartphone launch to August to pre-empt Apple’s iPhone event.
Apple plans to roll out Apple Intelligence in the US this fall, but its European launch has been delayed due to EU tech regulations.
Apple’s A18 chip
Meanwhile, Apple’s A18 chip, set to be used in the iPhone 16, has been developed with SoftBank-owned Arm’s latest V9 chip architecture. Arm’s chips power most of the world’s smartphones due to their low power consumption, making them ideal for mobile devices. Apple’s long-standing partnership with Arm, which dates back to the early 1990s, has helped Arm become a leader in mobile chip design.
Apple’s event will take place on September 9, where it is expected to unveil not only new iPhones but updates to other products and apps, continuing its push into AI and custom chip technology.
(With inputs from Reuters)