Scared by Samsung, Apple confirms generative AI features coming this year

Phone

Samsung has captured the public's attention by presenting the Galaxy S24 series as the first “AI phone” of its kind, even though there are other phones on the market that offer similar features. Samsung's marketing blitz isn't just to stand out from the Android crowd, rather, it's to show that the Galaxy S24 series does things the iPhone can't.

Since AI is definitely the buzzword of 2024 and Apple probably doesn't want Samsung to run away with it, the company has done something it rarely does, talk about what it's working on for the future. Apple CEO Tim Cook has confirmed that generative AI features are coming to the iPhone this year.

Apple to release generative AI features with iOS 18

It was reported recently that this year's iOS 18 might be one of the biggest updates ever for iOS, given the addition of generative AI features. While Cook didn't confirm things along the same lines, he did mention during the company's quarterly earnings call that the generative AI features Apple is working on for the iPhone will be released “later this year.”

Even as Cook mentioned generative AI several times during the earnings call, he didn't reveal any specific information about these features, only saying that Apple is spending “a tremendous amount of time and effort” on AI.

Some analysts on the call tried to get him to divulge more information but Cook didn't bite. He pointed to Apple's way of doing the work first and then talking about it, saying that “we're going to hold that to this as well,” even as the CEO offered a rare tease of the functionality that users can expect later this year.

Without getting into any further details, Cook added that “Let me just say that I think there’s a huge opportunity for Apple with generative AI and with AI.” Think of this as an indication to iPhone fans that may be feeling envious of the Galaxy S24's AI capabilities, Apple wants them to know that they'll be jumping on the AI bandwagon by the second half of this year as well.

Experience Galaxy AI on the Galaxy S24

Adnan Farooqui - Executive Editor

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First Samsung device: SGH-E900

Adnan Farooqui is a long-term writer at SamMobile. Based in Pakistan, his interests include technology, finance, Swiss watches and Formula 1. His tendency to write long posts betrays his inclination to being a man of few words.