Team Cook "Built for AI from the Start"
"No Data Storage"… Emphasizing Privacy Protection
Camera Performance Improved… Competing with Galaxy AI
The iPhone 16 series, designed to implement Apple's artificial intelligence (AI) technology, was unveiled on the 9th (local time). Upgraded Siri and writing tool features based on the high-performance A18 chip are expected to enhance everyday convenience. However, the lack of information on when AI functions will be available in Korean was pointed out as a limitation.
The iPhone 16 base model and Plus model will be released in five colors, including black, white, and pink. Eighty-five percent of the exterior is made from recycled aluminum, and more than 80% of various components use recycled steel. [Photo by Apple]
On the same day, Apple announced new products including the iPhone 16 series, Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, USA. CEO Tim Cook explained, "The iPhone 16 series was built from the ground up for AI."
Making Daily Life Convenient... ‘Apple Intelligence’
The new iPhone is equipped with Apple’s AI system called ‘Apple Intelligence.’ By using Apple Intelligence features, a single command can find photos taken years ago. For example, saying ‘Photos of Mike wearing an orange outfit taken in the mountains’ or ‘Find my eyeglass prescription’ will prompt the AI to show the relevant photos.
A new writing tool was also introduced. When users draft text, the AI adjusts the tone appropriately or corrects spelling errors. Inputting a description can create new emojis that didn’t exist before, such as ‘Create a robot wearing a cowboy hat.’ It also summarizes emails or notifications and helps prioritize by displaying important alerts at the top.
One of Apple's intelligence features, the writing tool, allows users to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text while writing.
Apple’s voice assistant Siri has been upgraded to understand the user’s language even if the speech is interrupted or contains mistakes, providing answers and guiding users step-by-step through their questions.
Apple particularly emphasized privacy protection to differentiate itself from other companies. The so-called ‘private cloud computing’ means that user data is neither stored nor shared with Apple. Apple stated, "We are the first in the industry to have independent experts continuously verify our privacy commitments."
Equipped with High-Performance A18 Chip... Optimized for AI Functions
To implement Apple Intelligence features, the latest high-performance chips A18 (for the standard and Plus models of iPhone 16) and A18 Pro (for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models) have been installed. According to Apple, these chips can perform machine learning up to twice as fast as their predecessors while being 30% more power-efficient.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models, made with titanium material, will be released in a total of four colors. The internal structural frame uses 100% recycled aluminum, and more than 80% recycled steel is used in various components. For the first time in an iPhone, the battery contains over 95% recycled lithium.
Notably, the Pro and Pro Max models feature the largest display size ever, the thinnest bezels, and the longest battery life to date. The titanium design enhances durability and improves heat dissipation and efficiency. Equipped with a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera, 5x optical zoom telephoto camera, 4K Dolby Vision, and studio-quality microphones, it is expected to assist with video shooting tasks.
The iPhone 16 series introduces a new ‘Camera Control’ feature. By sliding a finger on the camera button, users can adjust various control options such as zoom, exposure, and depth of field. In the future, a two-step shutter function will be added, allowing users to lightly press the camera control like a half-shutter to automatically lock focus and exposure. Holding down the camera control will display information about passing restaurants, enabling menu viewing and reservations, and add flyer events to the calendar. The camera control feature is also used when users search on Google to find sellers of items or take pictures of unknown math problems to ask ChatGPT.
Apple Clashes with Samsung... Korean Language Support Uncertain
Korea has been designated as a first-wave launch country for the first time. Pre-orders for the new iPhone start on the 13th, with in-store purchases available from the 20th. Once on the market, it is expected to compete with Samsung Electronics’ AI phones in the Galaxy smartphone series. The key will be how quickly and accurately AI services that assist daily life and work can be implemented, reducing various errors and hallucinations to increase user satisfaction.
Samsung appears to have a slight advantage in the domestic market. Recently, Samsung has expanded its AI base by updating major models released last year, including the Galaxy S24, Z Flip5, and Z Fold5. In contrast, Apple Intelligence software features will first be provided in English as a beta version next month, with no announced timeline for Korean language support.
On the same day, Apple also unveiled the Apple Watch Series 10, which is about 10% thinner than its predecessor. Using aluminum and titanium cases, the weight has been reduced by 10-20%, and the display is 9% larger. It can charge up to 80% in 30 minutes and is water-resistant up to 50 meters, with enhanced fitness features. Notably, it includes a function to detect sleep apnea. The newly released AirPods add active noise canceling, previously available only on premium models, to the standard model. AirPods Pro 2 will support hearing aid functions through an update.
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