Even the iPhone 16 could be a bottleneck for Apple’s new AI features – and here’s why
With Apple set to announce a major overhaul of its operating systems later today at the WWDC 2024 event, it’s no secret that artificial intelligence (AI) will be front and center at the show. But one industry insider believes Apple’s latest hardware could hold back its AI ambitions and prevent them from gaining an advantage over their rivals.
In a question-and-answer post on Medium: Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the amount of built-in memory in the upcoming iPhone 16 range – expected to be 8GB – may not be enough to make the large language model (LLM) behind Apple’s AI really sing.
“On-device LLMs are unlikely to exceed market expectations due to the iPhone 16’s 8GB DRAM limitation,” Kuo argued in the post, suggesting that avid Apple fans may need to temper their expectations heading into WWDC.
That said, memory has never been a major issue with previous iPhones, with Apple’s powerful mobile chips and efficient iOS operating system able to deliver market-leading performance no matter how much RAM they have to use. The question, however, is whether that situation will still hold true when it comes to notoriously demanding AI tools.
Kuo also noted that Apple is about to launch both cloud-based AI systems and on-device AI systems. “However, it is unlikely that Apple will announce development progress that significantly exceeds market expectations at WWDC 2024,” Kuo said. That’s because “Cloud-based LLMs take more time to train, and on-device LLM development is currently limited by the iPhone 16’s 8 GB DRAM.”
It adds to another limitation first suggested by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who warned that you’ll need an iPhone 15 Pro or an M1 Mac (or better) to use many of Apple’s AI features. to use. That means neither the iPhone 15 nor the iPhone 15 Plus will be powerful enough to use many of the new tools, despite being some of the most recent iPhone models available.
A storming AI event
That said, there were plenty of positives to take from Kuo’s report if you’re from Apple. For example, the analyst believes that “After WWDC, Apple will no longer be seen as a laggard in the AI industry,” suggesting that Apple’s AI efforts will be impressive enough to put it on par with OpenAI and Google.
In addition, Kuo says that “AI will be ubiquitous in Apple’s core applications.” This will apparently have the effect of “showcasing Apple’s advantage in user interface design,” giving users exceptionally well-designed apps and features that integrate AI into meaningful applications. ways.
WWDC is expected to be a major launch pad for Apple’s AI efforts, with the company bringing in a variety of apps and systems using the technology. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, we’re likely to see AI woven into a wide range of Apple apps, including Mail, Photos, Safari, Xcode, and more.
Siri is also set for its biggest update yet, while Apple partners with OpenAI to deliver some of the more powerful AI features, albeit with plenty of privacy protections to keep your data away from prying eyes when it’s sent to cloud servers.
With only a few hours left before WWDC kicks off, it won’t be long before we see exactly what Apple has in store. But while it looks like the AI announcements will be incredibly broad, the nagging problem of the iPhone’s limited memory – and its ability to power the most demanding AI functions – may dampen the occasion somewhat.