Apple faces a thorny issue during its annual developer presentation on Monday, given its growing lag behind its competitors in the field of artificial intelligence, and the battles the iPhone manufacturer is waging on various fronts, most notably defending its closed ecosystem and the challenges arising from US tariffs.
Apple will seek to convince attendees at its Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California, that it hasn't missed the AI bandwagon.
A year ago, the company announced a series of AI-based "Apple Intelligence" roles, and at the time, it was already lagging behind others in this field.
eMarketer analyst Gadjo Sevilla noted, "Apple promised these roles as if they would be available quickly, but that hasn't happened."
Technology blogger John Gruber noted last March, when Apple announced the postponement of some new features, that the company had quickly delivered minor improvements, but not major ones.
The new system was supposed to transform Siri into a true AI tool capable of performing tasks based on a simple verbal request, taking into account information in emails, photos, and other context.
He argued that the announcement a year ago of Siri's future was "not a demo, but an introductory video. Introductory videos are just nonsense, and they're often a sign that a company is struggling, or even in crisis."
While OpenAI (the creator of ChatGPT), Google, and Meta release announcement after announcement of the latest improvements to their increasingly capable and autonomous AI assistants, Apple may be about to announce a complete overhaul of its operating system.
However, industry experts and specialists, most notably Bloomberg and 9to5Mac, hoped to announce developments in the field of artificial intelligence, such as real-time translation in text messages and through wireless AirPods.
Rumors have circulated about new partnerships with Google or AI startup Perplexity, complementing an existing agreement with OpenAI.
Gene Munster and Brian Baker of consulting firm Deepwater Asset Management believe that "Apple initially underestimated the AI revolution, then overhyped its capabilities, and is now trying to catch up."
But generative AI isn't the only problem facing the American company.
Tensions persist with developers designing apps for iPhones and iPads, who "are struggling to achieve their ambitions within the highly closed system that Apple has imposed for decades," according to Gadjo Sevila.
A lawsuit by Epic Games, the studio behind the popular video game Fortnite, prompted a US court in May to force Apple to allow app publishers in the United States to use a payment platform other than the group's App Store, a measure already required in the European Union. But developers expect more, according to the analyst.
Sevilla believes that Apple, which "takes a 30 percent commission" on these payments through its App Store, has suffered a new blow, adding to the one it has already suffered due to its failure to deliver on its promises in the field of artificial intelligence.
The company released a report on Thursday showing that its App Store "enabled sales of $1.3 trillion in 2024."
The company noted that "developers paid no commission on more than 90 percent" of this revenue.
The developer conference comes as renowned iPhone designer Jony Ive recently joined OpenAI, where he is working with a team to "design a series of connected devices" suited to the age of artificial intelligence.
Sevilla believes that "this development puts Apple on the defensive, as its main product designer suggests there's something better than the iPhone."
Apple also faces significant risks related to its supply chain.
While the conference is unlikely to address this topic, Apple must consider how to deal with the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump as part of his trade war against China, the main iPhone assembly site.
The US president has threatened to impose new tariffs if Apple does not return production to the United States. Analysts believe this option is unrealistic.
Sevilla described the idea of iPhone production "100 percent in the United States" as "a fantasy" if it "requires rewriting the rules of the global economy."
However, Apple can capitalize on a crucial advantage: user loyalty.
Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies said, "Do people want a smarter Siri? Of course! (...) But when you're an Apple customer, you stay an Apple customer and continue to buy its products."
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