According to renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the new features introduced with iOS 18 centered around Apple Intelligence are not compelling enough to drive consumers to upgrade their iPhones. Kuo's insights highlight a growing concern regarding the effectiveness of Apple's latest technology and its implications for future iPhone shipments.
Kuo has pointed out that the recent failures associated with Siri are likely to impact the sales of the upcoming 2025 iPhone models. This perspective is not new; as early as last July, Kuo expressed doubts about the potential of Apple Intelligence to stimulate iPhone upgrades, suggesting the initial expectations were too optimistic. By January, his stance became more pronounced, stating that the appeal of Apple Intelligence had significantly waned due to the delay between the feature announcements in June and their eventual rollout starting in October.
In light of these developments, Kuo maintains a cautious outlook regarding Apple's future. He notes that the company is already aware of the underwhelming performance of Apple Intelligence and has communicated conservative shipment forecasts to its suppliers. This shift in sentiment from the market underscores Kuo's earlier predictions, as the consensus has moved towards a more apprehensive view of iPhone shipments and the effectiveness of Apple Intelligence, particularly Siri.
The negative feedback surrounding the delayed Siri features may further hinder the sales of upcoming models, including the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17. Last week, Apple announced that key features such as Siri personal context and App Intents would be postponed until the following year. This delay has seemingly caught Apple off guard, as they did not anticipate the critical response from both the tech community and their customer base.
Longtime Apple reporter John Gruber recently published a comprehensive piece highlighting the shortcomings of Siri, which has resonated with many users who share similar frustrations regarding Apple's ongoing challenges in improving its voice assistant. Moreover, numerous individuals have voiced their concerns about the public demonstrations of Apple Intelligence Siri features presented over the past year, emphasizing the disappointment stemming from subsequent delays.
As Apple navigates these turbulent waters, the company's ability to deliver competitive AI features will be crucial in maintaining consumer trust and driving future sales. The challenges posed by competitors like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic make it imperative for Apple to address these issues and regain confidence in its Apple Intelligence initiatives.
