Apple Intelligence could drive "massive upgrade cycle" for the iPhone 16

Apple Intelligence not only gets the company into the generative AI buzz, it is tipped to drive a massive upgrade cycle for the upcoming iPhone 16 series and reverse Apple's sales decline in China.

Based on its own supply chain checks in Asia, investment firm Wedbush believes the demand for the Apple iPhone 16 is likely to be "monumental". Wedbush analysts also believe the launch of the iPhone 16 series in September will help Apple achieve its first positive sales growth in China after many disappointing quarters.

The positive outlook on the iPhone 16 is attributed to Wedbush's belief that Apple Intelligence will make it the consumer gatekeeper of AI features. With a user base of over 2.2 billion active devices, Wedbush thinks other AI companies will work with Apple in a similar fashion as OpenAI's ChatGPT integration with Apple Intelligence.

If and when that happens, Wedbush says there will be a "multi-pronged AI revenue stream" estimated to generate around US$10 billion annually. In addition, Apple Intelligence will offer plenty of monetisation opportunities to boost the company's services and hardware businesses.

While Wedbush's predictions align with Bloomberg's recent report, some doubts remain as to whether Apple Intelligence will have any short-term impact on the company's revenue or iPhone sales.

Apple Intelligence is only coming to users "in beta" first as part of the launch of iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia later this year. Therefore, not all features will be available at launch. Apple stated that some features will be rolled out "over the course of the next year". 

Moreover, Apple Intelligence will not be available to EU users at launch as Apple is figuring out how to comply with the interoperability requirements of the Digital Markets Act without compromising the integrity of its products.

It could take a year or two, or even more for Apple to roll out Apple Intelligence to its users worldwide, and for users to understand and appreciate the benefits of the AI system. 

Of course, it could be that users don't even care that Apple Intelligence will take time to roll out and will only want the latest phones that are ready for it. We'll probably get a better understanding later this year after Apple announces its new iPhones.

Source: AppleInsider

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.