With Apple facing declining sales, the company is under pressure to prove its new iPhone can revive its business. On Monday, Apple revealed the iPhone 16, which comes with a camera button on the outside—a small change that hints at bigger updates inside, especially in artificial intelligence (AI).
CEO Tim Cook says the improvements will “push the boundaries of what a smartphone can do,” but Apple faces stiff competition from other brands that have already integrated AI features.
During Apple’s “Glowtime” event, where they showcased the iPhone 16 and other products, the company’s stock price fell and ended the day flat.
Despite being worth $3 trillion, Apple is under pressure as concerns grow that it’s falling behind in the AI race. iPhone sales, which make up about half of Apple’s total revenue, have slowed recently, dropping 1% over the past nine months compared to last year.
Apple’s new phones, with better batteries, stronger chips, and enhanced privacy features, are designed to handle AI and include new “Apple Intelligence” tools.
These tools, many announced earlier in June, offer new ways to create emojis and incorporate OpenAI’s ChatGPT into Siri for answering questions and generating text.
However, these AI features won’t be available until October, with a phased rollout starting in the U.S. and reaching other countries later in the year, including the U.K. in December.
Apple also introduced updates to its Apple Watch and AirPods. The new AirPods can lower the volume automatically during conversations and even allow users to decline calls with a shake of the head.
The Pro version of the AirPods can now function as a personal hearing aid for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, pending regulatory approval.
Despite some skepticism over the new iPhone’s camera button, experts like Ben Wood from CCS Insight believe Apple’s combination of AI and new camera features will encourage loyal customers to upgrade.
Apple may be late in adding AI to its devices compared to Samsung and Google, but analysts warn that these features must work well, or Apple risks damaging its reputation and losing sales.
Outside the event, protestors urged Apple to do more to protect children from harmful content on its App Store, showing that the tech giant faces challenges not just in sales but in social responsibility too.
As a content creator, summarizing these details helps explain how Apple’s latest moves aim to catch up with the competition while ensuring their products remain appealing.
Credit goes to BBC for a detailed report on Apple’s strategy and challenges.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8erzx2n3j7o