When the new iPhones are unveiled this fall, the focus is unlikely to be on camera improvements or a new design. Instead, it’s expected that the new AI features will steal the spotlight.
Apple Intelligence will deeply integrate Artificial Intelligence into the operating system, aiming to elevate the user experience to a new level. However, this will not come free for iPhone users, according to several analysts.
Monthly Subscription Between $10 and $20
Compared to other AI services like ChatGPT Plus or Microsoft Copilot Pro, it is anticipated that Apple Intelligence will cost between $10 and $20 per month, as reported by CNBC. Whether this will actually be the case remains to be seen.
There is also a possibility that the AI features could be marketed as part of “Apple One,” a subscription service that costs $19 per month and includes Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and other services.
Services as a Key Revenue Source
When Samsung equipped its Galaxy phones with AI features, these were offered for free. However, the Korean manufacturer has kept a backdoor option, mentioning in the fine print that Galaxy AI would only be free until the end of 2025. Whether the AI features will cost users afterward is still unclear.
Building Apple Intelligence on a monthly subscription aligns well with the iPhone maker’s strategy. The services division has long been a crucial pillar of total revenue, now accounting for more than a quarter of income – and this trend is strongly increasing.
AI Features Not Coming to Europe
Apple Intelligence is unlikely to be ready by the release of iOS 18 and the market launch of the iPhone 16 series in September. Apple has hinted that the new AI features will arrive on iPhones at the earliest with iOS 18.1 in October.
For iPhone users in the EU, this timeline is expected to be delayed. Due to complications with European data protection regulations, Apple Intelligence will not be coming to Europe anytime soon.