The iPhone 16 will launch without some of Apple’s flagship Intelligence features, which are arguably the main reason why most users are upgrading to the new models.
While Apple is taking an understandably cautious approach here, the company runs the risk of disappointing or confusing its customers…
Apple Intelligence is rolling out very slowly
The big news yesterday was of course the launch of the first developer beta of iOS 18.1, which brings access to the first set of Apple Intelligence features:
Writing tools
Some Siri improvements, including maintaining context between queries
Messaging features including digests and smart replies
Natural language searches in Photos and more
Transcript Summaries
But even for developers, Apple is taking it easy. Some of the features we expected from the 18.1 beta weren’t there, including the AI image generation tool Image Playground.
It’s worth noting that we’re not expecting a public beta of iOS 18.1: only developers can play with the AI for now. Apple will likely go this route because even in official iOS releases, the company labels all AI features as “beta,” just like when Siri was originally released. Launching a beta of a beta is simply too complicated for public consumption.
With much uncertainty
Officially, Apple has simply announced that Apple Intelligence will launch “in the fall.” Given that the season starts on September 22 and ends on December 20, that doesn’t limit the possibilities too much!
There is also considerable uncertainty about what will and won’t be included at launch. The real major changes will come with the new Siri, with ChatGPT as a fallback. Bloomberg said it wouldn’t even launch as a developer beta until 2025, but the WSJ Yesterday he contradicted this, saying that a few Some of these features will arrive by the end of this year.
Before the end of the year, Siri will get ChatGPT integration and the ability to access your personal context. (Example: “When should I pick up my mom from the airport?”)
However, Joanna Stern added that “Siri’s ability to perform actions in third-party apps will come next year.”
iPhone 16 will be stripped of most AI features at launch
Apple’s AI will be the main reason to upgrade to a new iPhone for a long time. Of the existing models, only the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will let you use all the upcoming AI features. Everyone else will have to buy a new phone.Smartphone deals
Apple’s challenge will be to communicate this and encourage these updates without creating confusion or disappointment. If you buy your shiny new phone hoping that Siri will finally be smart, and it doesn’t, that could be a serious blow to Apple’s brand image.
We don’t even know if the iPhone 16 will launch with it any of them Apple’s AI features. If the app ships with iOS 18.0 and iOS 18.1 is required to take advantage of the limited selection of AI features that developers got yesterday, it’s likely to remain disappointing from day one.
It’s entirely feasible. Apple could either pre-install iOS 18.1 on phones before they ship, or use the Presto system launched earlier this year to update them in stores before they go on sale. Worst case scenario, the update would be available a week or so later, so buyers wouldn’t have to wait long for at least some new AI features.
There is a precedent for this.
There is a precedent for Apple selling brand new, shiny iPhones stripped of all the flagship features.
Apple sold the iPhone 7 Plus largely on the strength of Portrait mode, which for the first time offered artificial blurring of backgrounds to simulate the shallow depth of field you can get on a DSLR. The phone went on sale on September 15, 2016, but Portrait mode wasn’t available until iOS 10.1 was released more than a month later on October 24.
It was the same story in 2022, with the iPhone 14 going on sale on September 16, but the flagship Emergency SOS via Satellite feature didn’t go live in the US until November 15, or even later in other countries, and is still not available in most.
But this is a bigger deal
Still, it’s a bigger deal. iPhone owners have been waiting a long time very It will take a long time for Siri to become a truly intelligent assistant, and for many, Apple Intelligence will mean a smarter Siri.
If they find out that they’ll get Apple Intelligence on day one, or shortly thereafter, but Siri remains nearly as stupid, that could be a very bad look for the company.
Apple is going to have to be very, very careful in how it communicates to iPhone owners what they’re getting and when they’re getting it.
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