Apple’s new iPad mini Highlights the company’s Secret Advantage in Artificial Intelligence
Yesterday, Patently Apple posted a report titled "By the end of 2024, Apple and Samsung are set to Capture over 75% of the Exploding Global GenAI Smartphone Market." Today in a new Power On Newsletter, Mark Gurman notes that "Apple’s new iPad mini highlights the company’s secret advantage in artificial intelligence."
In Gurman's opinion, Apple "chose to recycle its marketing strategy for the iPhone 16 and go all-in on AI features. Considering that the new model doesn’t have other major new changes, it’s no surprise that Apple is heavily touting its AI capabilities."
And while the market is overhyping AI at the moment, Gurman taps the brake a bit and reminds Apple fans that the first Apple Intelligence features are underwhelming — with the more impressive capabilities coming later. In the iPad mini marketing on Apple’s website, the company spotlights four features; three of them aren’t launching until between December 2024 and March 2025.
At the start, the signature feature will be notification summaries. These can be quite helpful — if they’re accurate — but they lack the wow factor of competitors’ offerings. Compared with the latest fare from Google, OpenAI and Meta Platforms Inc., Apple’s AI is still far behind.
Apple's research found that OpenAI’s ChatGPT was 25% more accurate than Apple’s Siri, and able to answer 30% more questions. In fact, some at Apple believe that its generative AI technology — at least, so far — is more than two years behind the industry leaders."
Although Apple is late to the AI party, Gurman believes that "When Apple becomes a true player in AI, Google and Samsung Electronics Co. will be hard-pressed to roll out new features and upgrades at the same speed. They have more fragmented operating systems, and their hardware, software and services aren’t as tightly integrated."
Yet with that said, Gurman adds that "Apple hasn’t yet shown it can achieve real competence in AI. Today, there’s little reason to buy products just to get Apple Intelligence.
Lastly on this topic Gurman notes that " Some analysts have even made dubious claims that Apple Intelligence is already creating an 'AI consumer revolution' that will 'spark a massive holiday season.' But Apple’s AI glory is still years away. If the new iPhone is a hit this year, it will probably be because of everything but AI."
Gurman's newsletter goes on to talk about "Inside Apple's HR Crisis," new Sonos headphones, Amazon rolling out Color Kindle and more here.