First iPhone 16 Models May Not Have Apple Intelligence Features As Cupertino Delays AI Integration For iOS 18 Overhaul: Report

Apple Inc.’s AAPL first iPhone 16 models shipped to consumers this year will possibly not include the new AI features and will require a software update weeks later.

What Happened: Apple plans to introduce Apple Intelligence to customers as part of software updates by October, a few weeks after the initial iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 releases planned for September, reported Bloomberg, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

Apple intends to make Apple Intelligence available to software developers for early testing as soon as this week via iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 betas.

This approach is unusual for Apple, which typically does not release previews of follow-up updates until the initial version of the new software generation is publicly released.

See Also: Apple Joins Meta And Google, Pledges Support For Biden’s AI Regulations

Apple’s decision to separate the AI features from the initial launch of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 was driven by concerns over the stability of Apple Intelligence features, the report noted.

The company requires support from developers to help resolve issues and test features on a larger scale. Even when Apple Intelligence launches with iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, it will be missing some features.

The company plans to roll out its full set of Apple Intelligence features via multiple updates to iOS 18 across the end of 2024 and through the first half of 2025, the report stated.

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Why It Matters: Apple Intelligence includes a range of features, including prioritization of key notifications, web page, and voice note summaries, tools to improve writing, a revamp to Siri, and integration of OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Earlier this month, analysts predicted a potential “AI supercycle” for Apple, driven by the iPhone 16’s AI features. Reports last week revealed that Apple’s market share in China has been declining.

The company’s latest ranking in the country has dropped from third to sixth place.

Meanwhile, previously it was also reported, that the Cupertino, California-based tech giant plans to integrate its A18 chip into its upcoming entry-level iPhones and iPads to run Apple Intelligence.

Image Courtesy — Apple

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.