This year's WWDC keynote in June promises to be exciting. Apple is reportedly working on the biggest iOS update ever and iOS 18 will include Apple's new AI initiative, some of which will be cloud-based and some run on-device. Having an AI chatbot as a native iOS feature might excite some, but many others are really hoping that AI will make Siri a more formidable challenger to other digital assistants.
Ben Reitzes, head of technology research at Melius Research, has an idea of what Apple's big announcement at WWDC will be this year and he told everyone about it at
CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” program Monday. The analyst says that at WWDC, Apple will discuss a new AI
App Store that will allow iPhone users to select and install AI-based apps from different developers as well as AI apps created by Apple.
He also said Apple has traditionally been able to get developers to build apps while the tech giant worked on the ecosystem in which apps were consumed. Using iTunes and the iPhone as examples, Reitzes notes how, with the former, the late Steve Jobs met with labels telling them about his vision of selling songs for a dollar apiece and, according to the analyst, “iTunes has saved the music industry. With the iPhone, Apple has improved third-party apps, Reitzes said, adding that Apple plans to do the same with AI.
In his note to clients, the tech analyst says: “We believe Tim and his team are talking to their rivals because they are channeling their 'inner Steve persuasion skills.' He adds that Apple is talking with Google, Open AI and others. “Tim knows how to do this,” Reitzes said.
The analyst claims that during WWDC, Apple will “lay the groundwork” for the new App Store and explain how users will be able to purchase AI applications on the new App Store, including, as we have already said, some developed by Apple itself. In this new App Store we could find an AI application that will replace the current version of Siri. He adds that Apple's second-largest business segment, Services, could see better results from the new AI App Store, and he also suspects we'll see a “huge upgrade cycle” for the iPhone in 2025. That year, according to Reitzes, will see Apple optimize both iPhone software and silicon for AI.
