Is Apple about to make a big AI iPhone announcement? What to expect from WWDC 2024
One of the most important technological events of the year is set to take place on Monday when Apple will unveil its latest products.
And all eyes will be on how it will use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), which promises a new super intelligence through machine learning.
Usually, Apple has not had to worry about competing with its rivals on release day as it tends to set new trends. But this year’s World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC), which will start at 7 pm CET, is different.
It comes just after Apple’s rival Google showed off its newest Gemini model and OpenAI showcased the capacities of its latest model ChatGPT-4o.
At Apple’s last conference in June 2023, the tech giant’s chief executive Tim Cook unveiled the mixed reality Vision Pro headset but did not announce any specific AI plans.
It came as a surprise to many as OpenAI’s ChatGPT had launched six months earlier, gaining a million users in five days and shaking the foundations of the tech world.
What can we expect?
Apple has not leaked any details of what it will announce on Monday. But according to Bloomberg, there will be AI features that will be called “Apple Intelligence”.
One of those features will be in its digital assistant Siri, so that it will respond quicker and more accurately than before.
Meanwhile, Apple Insider said other AI uses could include AI summaries of webpages and messages.
Last month, Bloomberg also reported that Apple is “finalising terms” to let ChatGPT use its iOS 18 features, so we could also see a partnership announcement with OpenAI.
Not just AI
But the most hyped acronym in tech is not the only thing that viewers will be listening out for.
Chips, which Apple has dabbled in, will also be important. AI is reliant on massive server farms that use Nvidia’s AI microprocessors.
But Apple wants its AI features to run on its iPhones, Macs, and iPads, which currently run on battery power, and Cook has previously said its chips can run AI models.
“We believe in the transformative power and promise of AI, and we believe we have advantages that will differentiate us in this new era, including Apple’s unique combination of seamless hardware, software, and services integration, groundbreaking Apple Silicon with our industry-leading neural engines, and our unwavering focus on privacy,” Cook said in May.
The company also released a paper in April that showed how AI models could run on a smartphone with its chip, instead of needing data centre-grade computers in the cloud, and with its smaller language model (LLM), which it called OpenELM (Open-source Efficient Language Models).
Apple has not yet launched an iPhone marketed for AI use, but its new iPads, powered by its M4 chip, hint at where the company is going.
‘One more thing’
On stage at last year’s conference, Cook said “One more thing” before going on to announce the Vision Pro with a €4,490.00 price tag.
Apple could announce the release of its operating system to other countries and could improve the software and the apps, such as messaging.
