1 week Ago By MICHAEL LIEDTKE Associated Press
CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple charged into the artificial intelligence craze Monday with a new iPhone lineup that marks the company's latest attempt to latch onto a technology trend and transform it into a cultural phenomenon. The four different iPhone 16 models will come equipped with special chips needed to power a suite of AI tools that Apple hopes will make its marquee product even more indispensable and reverse a recent sales slump .
Apple's AI features are designed to turn its often-blundering virtual assistant Siri into a smarter and more versatile sidekick, automate a wide range of tedious tasks and pull off other crowd-pleasing tricks such as creating customized emojis within seconds. Apple CEO Tim Cook walks on the stage Monday during an announcement of new products at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. After receiving a standing ovation for Monday's event, Apple CEO Tim Cook promised the AI package will unleash "innovations that will make a true difference in people's lives.
" The breakthroughs won't begin as soon as the new iPhones — ranging in price from $800 to $1,200 — hit the stores September 20. Most of Apple's AI functions will roll out as part of a free software updates to iOS 18, the operating system that will power the iPhone 16 rolling out from October through December. U.
S. English will be the featured language at launch but an update enabling other languages will come out next year, according to Apple. Apple unveils new iPhone which stands to break new ground with a shift into artificial intelligence that will do everything from smartening up Siri to creating customized emojis on the fly.
It's part of a new approach that Apple previewed at a developers conference three months ago to create more anticipation for a next generation of iPhones amid a rare sales slump for the well-known devices. Since Apple's June conference, competitors such as Samsung and Google made greater strides in AI — a technology widely expected to trigger the most dramatic changes in computing since the first iPhone came out 17 years ago. Just as Apple elevated fledgling smartphones it into a must-have technology in 21st-century society, the Cupertino, California, company is betting it can do something similar with its tardy arrival to artificial intelligence.
In an attempt to set itself apart from the early leaders in AI, the technology being baked into the iPhone 16 is being promoted as "Apple Intelligence." The Verge's Emma Roth joins Cheddar to discuss the iPhone 16, Apple Watch upgrades, all things Airpods and Apple Intelligence. But is it worth the hype? Watch! Despite the unique branding, Apple's new approach mimics many of the features already available in the Samsung Galaxy S24 released in January and the Google Pixel 9 that came out last month.
"Apple could have waited another year for further development, but initial take up of AI- powered devices from the likes of Samsung has been encouraging, and Apple is keen to capitalize on this market," PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore said. As it treads into new territory, Apple is trying to preserve its longtime commitment to privacy by tailoring its AI so that most of its technological tricks can processed on the device itself instead of relying on giant banks of computers located in remote data centers. When a task needs to connect to a data center, Apple promises it will be done in a tightly controlled way that ensures that no personal data is stored remotely.
While corralling the personal information shared through Apple's AI tools inherently reduces the chances that the data will be exploited or misused against a user's wishes, it doesn't guarantee iron-clad security. A device could still be stolen or hacked, for instance. The new iPhone 16 is filmed and photographed Monday during an announcement of new products at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.
For users seeking to access even more AI tools, Apple will team up with OpenAI to give users the option of farming out more complicated tasks to the popular ChatGPT chatbot. Though Apple is releasing a free version of its operating system to propel its on-device AI features, the chip needed to run the technology is only available on the iPhone 16 lineup and the high-end iPhone 15 models that came out a year ago. That means most consumers who are interested in taking advantage of Apple's approach to AI will have to buy one of the iPhone 16 models — a twist that investors are counting on will fuel a surge in demand heading into the holiday season.
The anticipated sales boom is the main reason Apple's stock price climbed by more than 10%, including a slight uptick Monday after the shares initially slipped following the showcase for the latest iPhones. Apple also introduced a new version of its smartwatch that will include a feature to help detect sleep apnea as well the next generation of its wireless headphones, the AirPods Pro, that will be able to function as a hearing aid with an upcoming software update. Many mobile users may be familiar with SIM cards, physical chips that hold data about your mobile plan, such as your wireless carrier and phone number.
They also help connect your phone to a mobile network. Over the years, these cards, which started the size of thumbnails, gradually became smaller, and their names reflected the change. Mini SIMs gave way to micro SIMs, nano SIMs, and now eSIMs.
Airalo compiled information from the Federal Communications Commission , PCMag , Wirecutter , and MakeUseOf to answer five frequently asked questions about eSIMs. These eSIMs, or embedded SIMs, are tiny enough to be soldered right into equipment in places where a SIM card slot may not easily fit. By placing them in increasingly smaller areas, machines with these super-small chips become programmable, even from afar.
This makes changing your phone number or switching between mobile operators easier and makes your data just a bit more secure. Because eSIMs are built right into the phone, thieves must steal your phone to access your information. In contrast, SIM cards could be stolen by themselves and inserted into different machines to access someone's calls and messages, including one-time security PINs that often link to phone numbers.
Though eSIMs can be found in drones and wearables, they are most often associated with mobile phones. First popularized in 2017, eSIMs are now an option for many top smartphones, including the iPhone 15 and the Samsung Galaxy S23. But why are they the wave of the future? Without a physical SIM card to install into a phone, the eSIM card setup primarily takes place on the device.
When purchasing or upgrading your mobile plan, your wireless carrier may give you an eSIM activation card with a QR code for you to scan and confirm the setup of your eSIM. Alternatively, you may get the QR code through a carrier website or email. Another option is downloading the eSIM registration app associated with your wireless carrier and setting up your mobile plan.
Many smartphones that support eSIMs also have nano SIM compatibility, the thinnest and lightest physical option. Phones with a dual SIM feature allow for a physical SIM and an eSIM to support two phone numbers on a single device. Flagship devices all have dual SIM support for physical and eSIM cards.
Notably, Apple's most recent iPhone 15 models sold in the U.S. only use eSIMs.
One of the main benefits of using a smartphone that supports eSIMs is that you'll have an easier time switching mobile networks, especially when traveling. Depending on the model, iPhones can support eight or possibly more eSIM profiles, for example. While traveling, you can set up and switch to a local network digitally at your destination rather than having to switch your physical SIM for a local SIM.
The physical SIM standard gives you the freedom to move your card from device to device. However, the on-device eSIM leaves you at the mercy of your carrier, meaning you'll have to set up your eSIM again each time you want to change phones. If you want to port your eSIM to a new device, you must download the profile from your previous phone.
This process can have a high error rate and can lead to tedious calls with your wireless carrier's customer service to troubleshoot issues. Similarly, if your phone breaks, you could lose your eSIM profile and data, leaving it up to your carrier to determine whether your profile is salvageable. Though smartphone brands continue offering physical SIM options now, many are moving toward supporting eSIMs.
Most notably, the latest iPhones sold in the U.S. only use eSIMs.
Google Pixel owners are also being encouraged to move their numbers to eSIMs. These suggest that the industry is ready to make eSIM support the standard. As time passes, more brands may slowly begin to release smartphones without physical SIM options, ushering in the official age of the eSIM.
Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
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