WWDC 2024 was all about software program this yr, with the massive bulletins being iOS 18 overhauling the iPhone’s working system, macOS getting good options, Siri gaining AI smarts, and the introduction of Apple Intelligence. However when it comes to {hardware}, Apple has little or no to say.
However with Apple’s smartest iOS 18 options restricted to the iPhone 15 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional Max and Apple Intelligence providing consumer-focused AI instruments, we are able to take a good stab at what we may anticipate to see the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Professional, and iPhone 16 Professional Max convey to the desk; probably in a September Apple occasion.
An clever smartphone
First, the next-generation Professional iPhones are certainly going to lean on AI options by way of Apple Intelligence; we’re speaking smarter methods of capturing and enhancing content material, AI-assisted group options similar to setting agendas by crawling emails, and smarter net searching with clever search options and net web page summaries.
If these sound considerably acquainted, it is as a result of the Google Pixel 8 and Samsung Galaxy 24 have related generative AI options; for extra try our information on the most effective AI telephones to purchase proper now.
Nevertheless, as US Telephones Senior Editor Philip Berne mentioned in his Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely overview, a few of the AI options in the most effective Android telephones aren’t essentially the most intuitive to entry and calibrate. However going by how Apple adopts current know-how, I’d wager that its integration of AI within the iPhone 16 vary and iOS 18 – a minimum of because it evolves out of its beta stage – shall be deep and accomplished in a approach that makes instruments like good picture editors really feel pure to make use of relatively than as an additional function.
A Siri showcase
And I anticipate Apple will make an enormous deal out of SIri and its new good options on the iPhone 16’s launch; whereas the brand new Siri is coming to different telephones, I’d not be stunned if the next-gen iPhones get some unique Siri-centric options.
The rationale for that pondering is the iPhone 16 Professional and iPhone 16 Professional Max will certainly include a extra highly effective A-series chip, probably calibrated for AI workloads, and thus be able to energy new good options.
However I’ll go one step additional and predict that the entire iPhone 16 vary may get new chips to energy on-board giant language fashions for AI instruments, all with the objective of spreading and democratizing the usage of generative AI.
Delicate tweaks
Now, I’m not anticipating the design of the next-generation iPhones to be a lot totally different from what we’ve in the mean time; Apple has arguably nailed its design language and made good use of titanium. However new chips that could possibly be tasked with working demanding AI workloads for a great little bit of time will probably want improved cooling to cease them from overheating within the compact iPhone chassis. That might imply inner design tweaks for the iPhone 16 and perhaps even adjustments within the telephones’ measurement and thickness.
And with extra highly effective silicon comes the potential for extra energy drain, so I’d not be stunned if the iPhone 16 fashions include bigger batteries than their predecessors and thus have a bit of additional bulk; anticipate the titanium chassis of the present Professional iPhones to trickle right down to the usual and Plus next-gen fashions with the intention to mitigate any potential enhance in weight.
In the end, WWDC didn’t shed the brightest of sunshine on what to anticipate from the iPhone 16 household. However I’d wager a good sum of cash – if I had some – on AI options being entrance and middle at Apple’s subsequent iPhone keynote. I may see that additionally working in tandem with the rumored Apple Watch 10.
We’ll need to play the wait-and-see recreation for a couple of months, however with Apple Intelligence grabbing headlines, Cupertino’s smartphones are solely going to get smarter.
