Apple is preparing for the big launch of its AI features on iPhones later this year but the company could already be planning for the future with its aim to make money. Reports say that Apple could charge as high as $20 per month (Rs 1600 approx) for these AI-enabled features that will be rolling out with iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia this year.
One of the analysts quoted in the report by CNBC suggests the high investment of adopting AI tech will push brands like Apple to pass on the costs to the end consumers. He doesn’t mention when this could happen but feels the decision to charge for AI apps is inevitable. To be fair, Apple’s competition is already doing it.
OpenAI has a premium tier of ChatGPT that brings you features like the voice mode and other advanced capabilities. Similarly, Google has an AI One plan that costs around Rs 2000 per month and gives you access to Gemini AI and other tools. So, the fact that Apple is planning to charge for its AI features hardly comes as a surprise.
Apple’s Premium AI Bet
We have already seen Apple take a different path with its AI ambitions, promising privacy of the users and on-device data processing. The company is even powering the data centres with its M-series chips which gives it better control of the back-end operations.
Going by all these benefits, and the traditional Apple focus, it is always going to be likely that Apple will charge a higher premium for its AI services once the features are fully rolled out and deliver a top-quality performance. The recurring nature of these services will tempt Apple to keep innovating and add new layers of features that keep rivals on their toes.
The company is even planning for a Siri 2.0 reboot with the help of AI and its demo at the WWDC 2024 gives us the belief that the highly criticised voice assistant can finally come of age and become a chief rival to Gemini and ChatGPT in the coming years.
Apple has shown us that the hardware upgrades are getting incremental by the year, so its focus on the software and AI mostly will show its future growth path. A report by Bloomberg earlier this year hinted at an Apple Intelligence Plus model becoming prominent in the next few years, and its A-series chipset will be powering the AI technology to keep these features ticking.
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