Cupertino:

Apple on Monday announced a new iPhone built for generative artificial intelligence as it seeks to boost sales and show it is keeping up in the technology race.

The tech giant has a lot riding on what would be the iPhone 16 and will hope that customers are enticed to buy the latest models, attracted by new AI powers.

“We are thrilled to introduce the first iPhones designed from the ground up for Apple Intelligence and its breakthrough capabilities,” Apple chief executive Tim Cook said at an event at the iPhone-maker’s Silicon Valley headquarters.

With $39 billion in sales last quarter, the iPhone counts for roughly 60 percent of Apple’s revenue, and remains the main entryway to the company’s services, such as the App Store or Apple TV, which are becoming a growing part of its business.

Apple is only just coming out of a long sales slump as users increasingly stick with older models longer.

“This iPhone 16 release is all about Apple Intelligence and the unleashing of the consumer AI Revolution through Cupertino,” Wedbust analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors, referring to Apple’s home city.

“In essence Cupertino will be the gatekeeper of the consumer AI Revolution.”

“Apple Intelligence” is a new suite of software features for all devices that was announced in June at the company’s annual developers conference, where it also announced a partnership with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI.

“For years, artificial intelligence and machine learning have been essential in delivering so many of the features and experiences you love,” Cook said.

“In June, we launched Apple Intelligence, our powerful new personal intelligence system, which will have an incredible impact.”

In the short-term, these include AI-infused image editing, translation, and small, creative touches in messaging, but not more ambitious breakthroughs promised by other AI players, such as OpenAI or Google.

Ives expects software makers to begin cranking out apps and services tuned with generative AI capabilities, fueling sales of iPhones.

Apple is expected to tailor new AirPod ear buds and smart watches to take advantage of AI capabilities and Siri digital assistant.

The company announced new models of Apple Watch and AirPods at the event.

By adding AI capabilities, Apple is looking to “shake that expectation” that iPhone launches are “just steady improvements in hardware and software,” said Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart.

Longer term, Apple could dramatically change the iPhone experience with a “super-powered Siri” working across all the apps, Greengart said.

Pixel power

Apple’s announcement closely follows Google, which last month unveiled AI-infused Pixel 9 smartphones, its challenge to the iPhone.

Pixels account for a tiny sliver of the global smartphone market dominated by Samsung and Apple, but Google argued its new line is a chance to answer what — after all the hype — AI can actually do for customers.

“There have been so many promises, so many ‘coming soons,’ and not enough real world helpfulness when it comes to AI — which is why today we’re getting real,” Google senior vice president of devices Rick Osterloh said at the Pixel 9 launch.

Samsung has also showcased AI across a range of its consumer electronic products as it looks to extend its leadership in global smartphone sales.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Apple, the Cupertino tech giant, relies on the vast manufacturing network in China for the mass production of its iPhone and other devices. In recent times, the company has also shifted focus to other key markets, including India, to diversify its manufacturing base.

Now, days ahead of the highly-anticipated launch of the iPhone 16 series, an old video of Apple CEO Tim Cook has gained significant attention on social media. In the viral video, Cook is seen addressing the common misconception about why the US-based company has invested heavily in China for its product manufacturing.

Debunking the common belief that companies flock to China for cheap labour, Mr Cook said, “There is a confusion about China. And let me at least give you my opinion. The popular conception is that companies come to China because of low labour costs. I am not sure what part of China they go to, but the truth is China stopped being a low labour cost country many years ago.”

The Apple CEO elaborated on the advanced tooling and precision required to produce the products and highlighted China’s vocational expertise in these areas.

“The reason is because of the skill, the quantity of skill in one location, and the type of skill it is,” he said.

Mr Cook noted that the product it makes requires “really advanced tooling and the precision that you have to have in tooling and working with the materials that we do are state of the art.” 

“And the tooling skill is very deep here. You know, in the US, you could have a meeting of tooling engineers, and I am not sure we could fill the room. In China, you could fill multiple football fields. It’s that vocational expertise is very, very deep here,” he added.

The throwback clip of Tim Cook was shared on social media site X and has garnered six million views so far. It also caught the attention of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who agreed with his views.

In the comments section, Mr Musk wrote, “True”.

True

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 6, 2024

Mr Musk’s comment on the Chinese manufacturing sector came just months after his surprise visit to the Asian country where he plans to introduce Tesla’s self-driving technology to a market with ferocious competition.

On his trip, he met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who praised Tesla as a “successful model” for US-China collaboration.

Meanwhile, Apple is currently gearing up for its mega event, ‘It’s Glowtime’. The tech giant will roll out its all-new iPhone 16 series, besides setting the stage for a new artificial intelligence platform.

The event will take place at 10:30 PM on September 9 in India.

New Delhi:

Tech giant Apple has issued a fresh warning to iPhone users in at least 98 countries, including in India, about a potential new mercenary spyware attack like ‘Pegasus’.

According to the Apple warning, it has detected that “you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID”.

In the warning, the iPhone maker further said that this attack is “likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do”.

“Although it’s never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning – please take it seriously,” the company added.

In October last year, the US-based technology company sent similar warnings to users in India.

In April this year, the tech giant sent threat notifications to select users in 92 countries, including some in India, who may have been targeted using ‘mercenary spyware’ like Pegasus from the NSO Group.

Since 2021, the company has sent threat notifications multiple times a year as it detected these attacks.

Recently, the Indian government warned Apple users in India about multiple vulnerabilities in their devices.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A teen from Colorado, United States, is facing up to six decades in jail for killing a family of five after setting fire to the wrong home for revenge over his stolen iPhone, as per a report in the New York Post. Kevin Bui, who is now 20-years-old, pleaded guilty this week to starting the late-night fire in a Denver neighbourhood in August 2020 after tracking his stolen phone to the vicinity using the “Find my iPhone” app. The man, who was aged 16 at that time, was seen as the mastermind behind the fire that killed the Senegalese family, which included two infant daughters.

The Diol family- a couple in their twenties, their daughter, their relative and her daughter, were all killed in the blaze. Three others broke bones while trying to escape the fire by jumping from the second floor.

The CCTV footage captured that night showed Bui and his two friends wearing face masks and hoodies when they set fire to the home. The three were named suspects after obtaining a search warrant to get Google to provide IP addresses that had searched the home’s address within 15 days of the fire. They were then arrested almost five months after the incident.

Dillon Siebert, who was 14 years old at the time, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last year and was given a sentence of three years in juvenile detention and seven years in a state prison programme for young inmates.

In March, Gavin Seymour, a 19-year-old who had pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder, was given a 40-year jail term.

Meanwhile, Bui was prosecuted as an adult and was given a sentence of up to 60 years in jail after he pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder.

A woman in Fujian province in southern China was arrested after she bit and chewed an anti-theft cable at an Apple store to steal an iPhone 14 Plus priced at $960 (Rs 79,414), as per a report in South China Morning Post. The woman surnamed Qiu, was caught by police half an hour after leaving the shop with the device.

In the video of the CCTV camera going viral on Chinese social media platforms, Ms Qiu is seen standing in front of the display stand of smartphone. She then leans on the counter and places her right hand on a phone. After a brief examination of the gadget, she nibbles on the security cable multiple times before placing the phone in her bag and leaving the store.

The store manager, Wang, stated that an alarm was activated during the incident. However, the employees that investigated found nothing strange.

Police officer Zhang Jinhong was quoted as saying by SCMP that Ms Qiu acted cautiously and attempted to disguise her tracks by appearing to be scrolling through the phone’s screen like any other customer at a gadget store. However, as soon as she left, store employees found the chewed cord and missing phone and called the cops. Further, security camera footage was checked and showed what had occurred. The police then arrested Ms Qiu outside her house. 

As per the outlet, Ms Qiu informed police that after losing her phone, she planned to buy a new one at a store, but when she saw the cost, she decided to steal it. She has been held until the completion of the inquiry.

The video has left many people surprised. “Doesn’t she know there are security cameras everywhere?” said a person.

Another user remarked, “She has strong teeth.”