Apple ships free software update that adds artificial intelligence to newest iPhones

Apple is releasing a free software update that will bring the first dose of artificial intelligence to the iPhone 16 lineup as the trend-setting company tries to catch up latest tech craze.

Monday’s update to iOS 18 comes more than a month after four iPhone 16 models were equipped with a special computer chip needed to support artificial intelligence features. went on sale for $800 to $1,200.. Last year’s premium models, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, also feature a processor that uses AI technology after installing a software update.

The latest versions of Apple iPad and Mac computers can also be updated using this software.

Countries outside the US won’t get AI software for their iPhones until next year, a date yet to be determined. Apple spent the last five weeks testing artificial intelligence software among iPhone owners who signed up to help the company fine-tune the technology.

The introduction of artificial intelligence is expected to transform Apple’s often clunky virtual assistant Siri into a more talkative, versatile and colorful companion, whose presence will be indicated by a glowing light that surrounds the iPhone screen while processing requests.

While Apple promises that Siri will be able to do more things and be less prone to confusion, it won’t be able to interact with other apps installed on the iPhone until the next software update arrives, the date of which has not yet been specified.

Other AI features included in this software update will perform various tasks of writing and proofreading, summarizing the content of emails and other documents. The AI ​​will also provide various editing tools to change the look of photos and make it easier to find old images.

Other AI tricks to come in future software updates will include the ability to create custom emojis on the fly or create other fancy images on demand. Apple also plans to eventually enable its artificial intelligence suite to get help from OpenAI’s ChatGPT when users want it.

Most of the artificial intelligence features Apple unveiled on Monday are already available on Android smartphones. Samsung And Google released earlier this year.

To differentiate its approach from early leaders in artificial intelligence, the iPhone’s suite of new technologies is billed as “Apple Intelligence.” Apple also promises that its artificial intelligence features will do a much better job of protecting the privacy of iPhone owners, either by running the technology on the device or by placing it in a fortress-like data center where some requests have to be processed remotely.

Since most iPhones currently in use around the world do not have the computer chip required for Apple’s artificial intelligence, the technology is expected to generate huge demand for new models during the holiday season as well as next year. That’s the main reason Apple’s stock price has risen 18% since the Cupertino, California-based company announced its artificial intelligence strategy. at a conference in early June. The growth boosted Apple’s market value by about $500 billion, moving it closer to becoming the first US company to be worth $4 trillion.

Apple will give investors their first look at how the iPhone 16 is faring on Thursday when the company releases quarterly financial information for July-September, a period that includes the first few days the new models went on sale.

Demand for high-end iPhone 15 models grew as prices fell and hype grew over Apple’s entry into the artificial intelligence market, according to research firm International Data Corp.’s assessment of the smartphone market for the latest quarter.

Apple’s iPhone shipments rose 3.5 percent from the same period last year to 56 million worldwide between July and September, second only to Samsung. according to IDC. The question now is whether Apple’s gradual introduction of more artificial intelligence will lead owners of older iPhones to spend money on new models during the holidays, “future-proofing their purchases,” said IDC analyst Nabila Popal.

— Michael Liedtke, Associated Press