AI gadgets have been a bust so far. Apple aims to change that
For Apple Intelligence to succeed, the iPhone maker has to convince its customers to pay up for AI-ready devices.
Within months, some of the biggest tech companies in the world, including Microsoft, Meta and Google, joined the party, launching their own AI chatbots and generative AI tools. By the end of 2023, Nvidia proved it was the only company in the world positioned to make huge amounts of money by powering those services.
Fast-forward to 2024, and a big theme in AI involves our consumer favorite gadgets, with tech companies trying to bring AI to phones and laptops.
Earlier this year, Samsung launched its AI-powered Galaxy S24 smartphone. Microsoft, partnering with companies like Dell, HP and Qualcomm, started selling a new crop of AI computers over the summer called Copilot+ PCs. A few weeks ago, Google launched its Pixel 9 series of AI phones.
So far, these new devices have underwhelmed. Rather than creating whole new experiences, they've introduced features for making it easier to edit photos, talk to a chatbot or provide live captions for videos. Then there's Humane's AI pin, a clip-on gizmo that launched in April and was immediately panned in reviews. By August, reports surfaced that daily returns were outpacing sales.
Apple will try to change the narrative.
On Monday, the company is expected to show off its new family of iPhones, packed with the AI capabilities announced in June. The system is called Apple Intelligence, and it'll be rolling out over the coming months. Current Apple devices like the iPhone 15 Pro and some newer iPads and Macs will also have access to it.