Few days ago, Apple conducted their September event, titled “Glowtime.” Well, it was indeed “glow time” that highlighted the crippling situation at Apple in terms of innovation. Apple came out with a few fresh launches and incremental updates to its iPhone lineup.
Don’t get us wrong, the iPhones were good upgrades to the previous versions and are a worthy purchase for someone looking to upgrade or purchase their first iPhone.
Where Apple is Struggling
Based on the last developer conference updates by Apple, it was clear that the iPhone 16 lineup would be the first Apple Intelligence (yeah, Apple got a name for its AI solutions, just like their “i” thing) ready iPhone lineup. But during the launch, it became evident that these features are not yet available on the device and will be gradually updated through OTA updates.
This shows a stark reality for a company that was once an innovator and disrupter. There was a time when Apple was the first to introduce something. The best example is the 64-bit smartphone chips. In 2013, Apple came out with its custom-built A7 chip, the first of its kind. It took another year for Android devices to catch up with Snapdragon 400 chips. Launching the first 64-bit chip for smartphones gave Apple a great head start. Even now, chips by other manufacturers are in constant competition to match the benchmarks set by Apple chips.
The situation is reversed right now. In terms of introducing AI features to smartphones, Apple has already lost a year and a half. Google has been pushing out AI features in its camera app, photos app, and other user-friendly feature suites for the past few years. Samsung, on the other hand, made sure that its last major release was all about AI in its S series smartphones. Samsung went so far as to extend AI features to its past flagships. Clearly, these companies have a head start in bringing AI to smartphones compared to Apple.
On top of all this, Apple is still not offering all the AI features it promised out of the box. They are coming in the upcoming months through updates. Then what was the whole point of poking the AI button throughout the product launch presentation? Looming sales! Yes, it feels like Apple launched the phone prematurely to keep the sales numbers moving upward. For the past three quarters, according to Statista, Apple’s sales revenue has been sharply declining.
How Apple Can Come Out Of This Situation
Based on the track of its competitors’ routes, Apple can undertake some of the following actions to become the top runner in the ‘AI in smartphone’ race.
Enhanced R&D in AI
Apple has long been known for its heavy investment in research and development. In fact, according to reports, the company has already poured billions of dollars into AI development. To maximize the impact of these investments, Apple should focus on more efficient integration of AI into its products. Apple should also improve investment into AI solutions specifically for smartphones and mobile products which covers more than camera features. Doing so could significantly boost customer satisfaction by enhancing user experiences through AI-driven solutions.
Revitalize Innovation
Apple is often seen as playing it safe in recent years. While this cautious approach ensures thorough testing of features before launching, it may also be hampering the company’s innovative potential. Apple should return to its roots of bold and aggressive innovation, allowing for the development of disruptive and valuable AI features in its smartphones. Striking a balance between caution and cutting-edge advancements could make a substantial difference.
Develop Proprietary AI Solutions
Currently, Apple relies on partnerships, such as with OpenAI, to incorporate AI into its devices, while competitors like Google with Gemini and Samsung have developed their own AI ecosystems. To stay competitive, Apple should consider developing its own proprietary AI model, enhancing its autonomy and control over AI feature development. Expanding AI capabilities across its entire product ecosystem would also ensure a more cohesive and enhanced user experience.
The demand for AI-powered features is not a pointless trend like the race for high megapixel smartphone cameras. AI offers real-world utility, and its importance is set to intensify. Apple must take advantage of this new frontier in customer experience and satisfaction, or risk losing valuable customers to competitors who are more aggressive in the AI space.