Apple sought to showcase the latest generation of iPhones as machines built around artificial intelligence at its biggest product event of the year, as the tech giant seeks a dominant position in the aggressive race around the technology.
The company said the iPhone 16, the smartphone's new model, had been designed “from the ground up” for its range of “Apple Intelligence” artificial intelligence features, which include the ability to generate and edit text to match certain tones, as well as use the device's camera to recognise real-world objects.
The event, held at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, was billed as “It’s glow time,” with the company’s logo surrounded by a colorful aura. Through a series of highly produced videos, company executives promoted a range of new hardware and attempted to highlight the ways in which Apple was integrating AI into its products.
“We're thrilled to introduce the first iPhones designed from the ground up for Apple Intelligence and its breakthrough capabilities,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a pre-recorded video during the event.
The company’s “Apple Intelligence” system will allow iPhones to perform a variety of tasks including photo editing, using the camera to identify objects in the real world and generating text. During a segment promoting Apple Intelligence, the company promised the ability to create custom emojis based solely on prompts like “cowboy frog.”
AI features will also allow users to search for photos, emails and texts by typing descriptions or giving audio commands to the Siri voice assistant.
The company will provide its AI integrations to US English-speaking users as a free software update next month.
Apple shares fell slightly, about 1%, after the event.
The new iPhone 16 also promises a “bold new color palette” and a more durable display. It introduces an “action button” on the phone that can perform customizable activities, as well as a new A18 chip intended to deliver better performance.
Apple also unveiled a new version of its AirPods earbuds during the event, and a new design for the Apple Watch that included a larger display and faster charging, as well as health app features like sleep tracking. AirPods Pro 2 will also now have the ability to function as a hearing aid for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Apple’s fall product launches have become one of the company’s biggest annual events, typically showcasing a slew of new devices and setting the tone for the holiday shopping season, Apple’s busiest and most profitable period. These new products are often the cause of immense speculation within the tech industry and among the company’s fans.
In the run-up to the event, reports emerged about Apple's shift From LCD to OLED screensand rumors circulated about a dedicated photo button. Early coverage of the event also predicted that the tech giant would expand its “Apple Intelligence” artificial intelligence features.
Earlier this year at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the company announced a number of ways it intended to integrate AI features into its products and services. One of the biggest reveals was a partnership with OpenAI to merge ChatGPT technology with Apple’s Siri voice assistant, with executives promising a more “natural” mode of interaction.
Apple’s announcements at its WWDC event and promises to include more artificial intelligence were a turning point for the company after it had waited longer than competitors like Microsoft to introduce consumer-oriented AI tools. The company’s hesitation to release new generative AI features had previously been a source of frustration for investors and analysts who had been waiting for the company to launch its own version of the technology.
Apple's stock price has risen sharply this year as market enthusiasm for generative AI and revenue growth has boosted Big Tech stocks. However, the company has struggled with a global decline in smartphone sales in recent years, as well as The rise of rivals Like Huawei in key markets, particularly China, Huawei is expected to launch its own line of new products within hours of Apple's event.
Also looming in the background is the Justice Department's sprawling antitrust lawsuit against Apple, which alleges the company created and maintained an illegal monopoly in the smartphone market. Apple has denied the allegations in the case, which could take years to resolve.
