Apple introduces a new iPhone series for AI

“We are excited to introduce the first iPhones designed from the ground up for Apple Intelligence and its groundbreaking capabilities,” said Cook.

Apple Intelligence is a system that bundles AI functions that can be used for all Apple devices. The company announced this at its developer conference in June, as well as a new partnership with AI pioneer OpenAI. Generative AI refers to the technical capabilities of creating content such as text, images, music and videos.

In a first step, the AI ​​functions will be able to recommend answers to emails received by iPhone users. The voice assistant Siri will also become more powerful by being able to answer more complicated questions in the future and, for example, find a photo that the user describes to it verbally. It will also be possible to create individual emoji symbols.

In the second quarter of 2024, Apple generated sales of $39 billion (€35.13 billion) with its iPhones, which corresponds to around 60 percent of the group's total sales. Its biggest competitor is the South Korean Samsung Group. The global market leader has already released smartphone models that work with generative AI.

The new iPhone will again be available in four versions today: The standard iPhone 16 model and the more expensive and better equipped iPhone 16 Pro will each have two display sizes. The design will largely be based on the current generation.

Apple has also come up with another button to act as a camera shutter release. It should work like a photo camera: light pressure activates the autofocus, and pressing it all the way down takes a picture. The button should also allow you to control the zoom with swiping movements.

However, some of the new functions will not be available in the EU at first. The company points to legal uncertainties caused by the digital law DMA, which sets out rules for large platforms. Apple said it was particularly concerned that the DMA requirements for opening up to other manufacturers and service providers could compromise the protection of user data. But according to media reports, the functions of “Apple Intelligence” will also be gradually introduced for US users over several software updates.

The Apple Watch will have a slightly larger display and will be noticeably thinner at the same time. A more powerful new chip will enable the Apple Watch Series 10 to automatically display selected information when you need it. A new feature for the Apple Watch is the detection of sleep apnea – a condition in which breathing can stop for a short time.

To ensure that the watch can be worn for longer, 30 minutes of charging should fill the battery to 80 percent. Apple introduced the computer watch ten years ago and brought it onto the market in spring 2015. The Apple Watch now leads the market and is the basis for the company's fitness business. The larger Apple Watch Ultra, in its third version, is said to have improvements mainly on the inside.

It is rather unusual for Apple to present new iPhones on a Monday – but the company is avoiding two other events. On Tuesday, the first TV debate between presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is likely to attract the greatest attention in the domestic market. And in Europe, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) is announcing its decision on the state aid dispute between Apple and the EU Commission, which wants the companies to pay more than 13 billion dollars in back taxes in Ireland. The ECJ could send the case back to the General Court of the European Union (GCC) in Luxembourg before Apple has prevailed.

In addition, rival Huawei will present its own innovations just a few hours after the iPhone event. The main thing expected is a smartphone with a display that can be opened on two sides. Huawei was once number two in the global mobile phone market – until US sanctions pushed the Chinese company back into international insignificance. In China, meanwhile, Huawei is still strong.