Apple and Google have been battling for supremacy in the mobile market for more than a decade. That's why reports by Bloomberg, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal that the two longtime rivals may be working together came as quite a surprise this week.
Google and Apple are reportedly in talks to bring the search giant's Gemini AI model to the iPhone. On the surface, this looks like a big win for Google, since it means Google's AI will be built into iOS and Android, two of the world's most widely used computing platforms.
But such partnerships could have a major impact on the role of generative AI in smartphones, which is becoming a must-have feature in new smartphones rather than a niche feature on some models. It suggests that. A deal like this, while still just a rumor at this point, would signal that Apple can't wait any longer to bring generative AI to the iPhone.
“It emphasizes how dramatic it is.” [generative] “AI capabilities are impacting everyone, including Apple,” said Bob O'Donnell, president and principal analyst at Technology Research.
Representatives for Apple and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment on this story.
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Report that Google Gemini is coming to iPhone
If this report is true, Apple is considering using Google's model to power some future features while continuing to develop its own AI-based iPhone tools. Google's AI models will likely be used to power cloud-based iPhone features, which could include generating content based on prompts and photo editing tools, according to Bloomberg. However, Apple is also reportedly in talks with other companies, such as OpenAI, about possible partnerships.
Although Apple and Google are competitors, this isn't the first time they've worked together in this way. Google already pays Apple billions of dollars to be the iPhone's default search engine, so partnering on the underlying technology for future AI features would be an extension of that relationship.
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“In that context, Google may just be talking to Apple about the next version of search,” said Avi Greengart, president and principal analyst at Techsponential.
While Apple develops its own replacements, it's not uncommon for Apple to partner with other technology companies on certain components or technologies. For example, Qualcomm supplies Apple with 5G modems for the iPhone, but Apple used Intel chips in its Mac product line before developing its own M-series processors.
Even if an AI partnership with Google were to materialize, it's impossible to know how it would play out. But we already have one example: the Galaxy S24 series. Samsung's three new smartphones include the ability to translate calls in real time, summarize notes, manipulate and erase objects in photos, and launch Google Search by simply circling an object on the screen. It includes a set of AI-powered features, including the ability to
Samsung is taking a hybrid approach to these features, which it aptly calls Galaxy AI. This means that some tools are powered by Samsung's AI models, and others are powered by Google's AI models. Samsung has hinted that it may charge for some of the Galaxy's AI features in the future, a strategy familiar to Apple, which offers a wide range of subscription services.
However, it is also important to remember that Samsung and Apple have different product strategies. Samsung likes to be fast and fast, while Apple often waits until the technology is mature or until it has figured out its own approach.
According to a Bloomberg report, the Gemini-based feature appears to essentially be a stopgap for broader AI-based changes coming to the iPhone. Apple is reportedly developing AI capabilities that will be processed on-device and built into iPhones at the operating system level.
The partnership with Gemini could be an effort by Apple to keep iPhone software on par with its Android competitors while it develops more sweeping changes for iOS.
“If AI becomes a core part of the operating system, that's something Apple will want to control,” Greengart said.
why is it a big problem
A year ago, generative AI was still largely limited to web tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft's revamped Bing search engine, and Google's chatbot, then called Bard. But from 2023 to 2024, it has become an even more essential part of the most important device we use every day: our smartphones.
The partnership with Google would show that that idea is not lost on Apple. And the next generation of smartphones will further prove that generative AI-based capabilities will become increasingly important. Apple can't afford to miss this.
Market research firm International Data Corporation predicts that 170 million “next-generation AI smartphones,” or phones equipped with a specific type of processor that can run on-device generated AI efficiently and quickly, will be shipped in 2024. I predict that. This corresponds to 15% of the total. The company said this is a significant increase from last year's shipments of 51 million AI mobile phones.
Predictions from Gartner, another well-known market research firm that studies the technology industry, suggest that generative AI smartphones will become even bigger in 2024. The company expects that in 2024 such devices will be shipped 240 million units, accounting for 22% of basic and premium smartphone shipments. .
If you need more evidence that generative AI is playing a more meaningful role on your phone, there's the ChatGPT iPhone app. According to Data.ai, OpenAI's app is already one of the most downloaded free apps in the U.S., even though it was released on the App Store less than a year ago.
There's a lot going on in Apple's idea of ​​generative AI. Apple is known for popularizing technologies such as smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches, and there are hopes that it will do the same with generative AI. It takes time. And it will probably take him longer than Apple is willing to wait until he brings some level of generative AI to the iPhone.
Analysts questioned Apple's plans for generative AI during Apple's recent earnings call. “Artificial intelligence and artificial intelligence (AI) represent a huge opportunity for Apple,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said, without providing further details.
When it comes to new technology, Apple is rarely the first. For example, the company has not launched a foldable smartphone yet, even though almost all major Android smartphone manufacturers have launched foldable smartphones.
However, generative AI is different. In fact, this is the opposite of foldable. Although they've improved a lot in recent years, foldable smartphones still feel like they're solving a problem that doesn't really exist. But ChatGPT was an overnight success, solving a problem that most people didn't even know existed. This proved that generative AI has a place in our lives before generative AI technology spreads to other devices and services.
More than anything, it would be a statement for Apple and Google to partner up to bring Gemini to the iPhone. It is likely that generative AI will be an integral part of modern smartphones and that this technology will become truly mainstream on mobile devices.
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