Apple’s big keynote should make plenty of startups nervous, but there’s no reason to panic just yet. For one thing, some of the updates will likely be incremental, not killer ones. For instance, new features such as Siri getting smarter and generating non-photorealistic emojis could be just what the doctor ordered. Others might be a little more significant.
What to Expect
Traditionally, Apple’s WWDC keynote focuses on its software platforms like iOS, Mac, and Apple TV. But the company is expected to show off some new hardware as well.
The event kicks off at 10am PDT today, and the livestream can be watched on iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs, and Mac computers. Apple will also be broadcasting the event on YouTube, so you can watch on a PC or TV as well.
First up, Apple is giving Siri a big dose of AI. The voice assistant will now be able to understand context, identify pronouns, and learn over time. It will now support cross-app actions and understand the relationships between apps you use.
Siri is also getting a more personalized interface, which will allow you to ask questions and get answers in natural language. And it will have a new look that’s more conversational and takes up the entire screen, showing you what it thinks is most relevant.
Next, Apple is bringing more customization to the home screen and lock screen in iOS 18. Users will be able to organize their icons and widgets the way they like them. And they’ll be able to choose from different colors, just like you can on Android and your desktop computer. Finally, the Continuity feature will let you mirror your iPhone on your Mac and have full access to apps and content.
Apple’s AI strategy
When Apple first launched Siri in 2011, the company billed it as a voice assistant that fits right into people’s pockets. The tech titan might have a chance to make that same claim again with its big push into AI.
That includes a new system called “Apple AI” that will work across apps. It will do things like search for photos that only include you and a specific person, summarize emails that landed in your inbox or create an image based on a description that you can use as an emoji in a message.
Giannandrea was a Google executive for eight years before joining Apple in 2018. He’s taking the lead on creating AI systems at Apple, including Siri. He’s also focusing on privacy, making sure the bulk of AI processing takes place only on an iPhone or Mac. This is a major shift from the way that some competitors work with AI. For example, encrypted messaging app Signal keeps a log of everyone’s conversations on a server for use in AI training.
Another challenge for Apple could be the availability of the hardware needed to support all this on-device processing. Apple has invested in augmented reality and virtual reality gear, but wearables like glasses or a brooch have much less room for AI chips than a phone. This might require a new type of device or at least a significant change to the design of existing ones.
Apple’s partnership with OpenAI
Apple’s WWDC event this week unveiled AI features that could make plenty of startups nervous. These include a smarter Siri, an advanced text-recognition system and a generative AI tool that will let apps rewrite and proofread their own content. A new developer framework called “Apple Intelligence” will also allow developers to build in these AI capabilities, while ensuring that user data remains private.
For its part, OpenAI will get a privileged foothold in the iOS ecosystem and access to the prodigious amount of data that goes through Apple’s products daily. But the tie-up with a company that’s still dealing with criticism over its AI practices could pose risks down the road.
It’s a sunny morning in Cupertino, and the developers and media assembled outside of Apple’s campus are waiting for the keynote to begin. A big crowd has filled a grassy field near the Steve Jobs Theater, and there are signs of excitement in the air.
While this year’s keynote won’t focus on the iPhone, it could be a make-or-break moment for the tech giant in its effort to narrow its gap with rivals in artificial intelligence. Its decision to partner with ChatGPT creator OpenAI may help, but it will likely have to do more if it wants to catch up with the rest of the industry.
Apple’s Vision Pro with generative AI
As Apple tries to raise awareness for its Vision Pro headset, it’s also trying to build a bridge between generative AI and everyday consumers. It’s a tall order given the fact that it’s a new product and still early days for spatial computing, and the $3,499 computer goggles are likely to only affect a small portion of the population.
To help address that challenge, Apple execs made the case that it’s developing a suite of features to bring generative AI into the mainstream, with security and privacy built in. That included an iPad feature that can create a new version of handwritten notes so they appear more legible and clearer, and an iPhone app that can translate text into other languages in real time.
The tech giant’s efforts also include updates to iOS, macOS and tvOS to incorporate its AI capabilities. For example, the upcoming update to macOS called Sequoia will make it easy for developers to add a “natural intelligence” feature that can understand natural language and provide suggestions on how to phrase a sentence. It will even be able to look at photos and understand objects in the image, and it could help users find their favorite apps or websites more quickly. This is all part of an effort to put the power of generative AI in every Mac, iPad and iPhone.