Apple’s First Truly AI-Powered Device Won’t Be an iPhone or a Mac

Apr. 30, 2024

Apple is poised to catch up with the AI trend with a plethora of AI-focused features in the upcoming iOS 18. While many are expecting that the iPhone 16 series with a new AI-capable chip andiOS 18will help the company usher in the new era of AI, it seems that Apple has other plans. As per the recentnewsletter by noted Apple analyst Mark Gurman, iPhone won’t be the first ‘truly AI-powered device’. It will be an iPad instead.

As per him, the new iPad will be powered by the M4 chip and not the M3. The M4 chip will be marketed as an AI-capable chip thanks to the new neural engine. Thus, positioning the iPad as Apple’s first truly AI-powered device.

The only reason why Apple could skip the M3 chip in the iPad Pro in favor of the M4 is the ardent AI trend. Apple doesn’t want to lose out on the demand for AI features among users.

Gurman believes that launching the iPad Pro with M4 chip ahead of the World Wide Developer Conference will help Apple carry out its AI chip strategy in an unrestricted manner. After launching the iPads in May, Apple could then launch AI features with iPadOS 18 in June. This will help it market iPads as AI-powered devices.

Similarly, the A18 chipset touted to feature in the iPhone 16 series will also be marketed as an AI-capable chip.

At the same time, Gurman says that Apple sees the hype around AI as a marketing gimmick.

“To be fair, though, these new products aren’t engineered and developed entirely around AI. This is partly about marketing. Hardware with even more impressive capabilities is further out.” – Mark Gurman

Will Apple make the bold decision to launch upcoming iPad Pros with M4 chip to course-correct its AI strategy? We’ll have to wait for the event for the official confirmation. However, if the tech giant decides to do so, it could prove to be a pivotal point in Apple’s AI journey.

At the same time, marketing the M4 chip and A18 chip as ‘AI-capable’ would mean that users having devices with older chips will miss out on some features. This could prove to be a tightrope walk for Apple.

With 6 years of experience as a writer and editor in the tech media industry, Anmol is an enigmatic savant in all kinds of tech. He loves to scour internet for new information. When not conjuring words, Anmol can be found watching Manchester United matches or glued to his MacBook watching re-runs of his favorite TV shows for upteenth time.