Apple Intelligence - what Macs, iPads, and iPhones are required

AppleInsider

After a year of speculation, Apple has unveiled Apple Intelligence. You'd better have a pretty new Mac, iPhone, or iPad to use it, though.

Apple Intelligence requires specific hardware

Announced at WWDC 2024 on Monday, Apple Intelligence is integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, using Apple Silicon to process and generate language and images, automate tasks, and personal context for efficiency.

Key features include Private Cloud Compute for enhanced privacy and scaling between on-device processing and server-based models. Due to the processing power needed for such powerful artificial intelligence tasks, Apple Intelligence will require Apple Silicon, the company's custom chips.

Apple Silicon Macs provide the computational power to run sophisticated AI models that underpin Apple Intelligence features. Similarly, Apple Silicon iPads and iPhones are essential for accessing the full suite of Apple Intelligence features.

Apple Intelligence hardware requirements

• Any Apple Silicon Mac


• Any Apple Silicon iPad


• iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max

These devices are equipped with powerful neural engines and advanced processing capabilities necessary for the AI-driven features of Apple Intelligence.

The Apple Silicon architecture, including the M1, M2, M3, and M4 series of chips, ensures optimal performance and efficiency for tasks such as language processing, image recognition, and real-time data analysis.



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GeneT

Apple just told the world that almost everyone with an iPhone will need to buy a new phone to do this stuff. (Only last year's Pro phones as good enough). How can the stock possibly be down?

atonaldenim

I think it would be more accurate to say "Any M-series Mac or iPad" as all iPads and iPhones 4+ have always used Apple Silicon, but of the A-series variety.

anantksundaram

GeneT said:

Apple just told the world that almost everyone with an iPhone will need to buy a new phone to do this stuff. (Only last year's Pro phones as good enough). How can the stock possibly be down?

Perhaps because it may not move the needle on iPhone demand all that much, as a lot of people don't (yet) think that the current menu of AI offerings goes much beyond being on a scale of laughable (Gemini)-to-mediocre (ChatGPT/MetaAI/Anthropic)?

For example, to the extent that it's useful, the OpenAI app works perfectly fine for me on my iPhone 14 Pro Max. Normally, I upgrade every two years, but unless the iPhone 16 offers something more radical than typically touted attributes like more speed, smaller bevel size, longer battery, better camera, is a wee bit thinner etc., I may skip even the 16. At this point, the phones (and iPads) are so good that even an Apple-crazy customer like myself is starting to go 'meh' with the incremenaility of hardware improvements. 

timpetus

I'm far from an early adopter but I have 2 of the 3 covered, and barely use my iPads for anything so I'd never need AI features on them. Glad we decided to switch from the base/mini iPhone 13s to the 15 Pro/Max last year. Still a GAI skeptic but it seems like Apple has their focus on bringing us whatever benefits we can get from LLMs without most or all of the significant issues, be they privacy, copyright infringement, political bias, incorrect information and hallucinations, etc. We'll see in the Fall how well they've done!

CarmB

By future-proofing products, what Apple has secured is brand loyalty. If I buy a smart phone today and get more than four years of service out of it, I'm quite happy to buy another one. Apple has a massive collection of consumers out there who can participate in using their new AI tools on Day 1. To an extent Apple is monetizing that installed base by offering content to that base via Apple Music, Apple TV+ and so on. In addition, Apple is not, if you will, a one-trick pony. It sells smart phones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, smart speakers, smart watches, and so on. When a customer buys one of those devices, odds are a good experience will lead to buying others as well. That's especially the case since Apple works hard to integrate all its products into a seamless system, one that extends to automotive electronics. So no, we don't have a lot of consumers out there replacing their smart phones on an annual basis but in many ways that's a good thing. If Apple can continue to bring in millions despite not selling new iPhones to the same customers annually, what it is providing is quality product that in the long run justifies the high cost of initial purchase. If Apple is focused on enhancing the lives of its customers, that's a good thing and very much in keeping with the goals of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. One more thing. If you have a product that can last a long time, you can justify a high initial purchase price. In today's inflation-tinged  environment, looking to sell an expensive smart phone that customers are expected to replace annually is a losing proposition. 

dk49

The fact that they only kept iPhone 15 Pro in the list indicates that there might be many core AI features exclusive to iPhone 16. It's probably the first time that a major ios feature is only available on the latest iPhone. 

rbnetengr

dk49 said:

The fact that they only kept iPhone 15 Pro in the list indicates that there might be many core AI features exclusive to iPhone 16. It's probably the first time that a major ios feature is only available on the latest iPhone. 

Siri was a new feature with the iPhone 4S that was not backward compatible.  It had been an app in the App Store prior to Apple acquiring the rights to it.  Then it was removed as a standalone app and only available in iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S.

i think FaceID was also a new feature that was not backward compatible with all the iPhones using TouchID (only available on iPhone X).  And TouchID was a new feature that required the TouchID enabled Home button.

So this isn't the first time they introduce a forward looking app that isn't supported by previous models.  And probably the only reason it will be supported by the 15Pro/Max is because they want people using it the day that the iOS 18 Public beta is released, and for a large installed base to use it on their 15Pro/Max when iOS 18 is officially released.  There won't be many iPhone 16s out in the wild to show off the new AI features.

I was the owner of a 4S (Siri),  a 6 (it had something new and unique, like Force Touch screen) and iPhone X (FaceID), and now a 14 Pro (Dynamic Island).  With this history of buying new models for the first year release of some breakthrough features, I can say that the improvements made to the following year iPhones made my iPhones feel dated, even though I hung onto them for a long time.  My advice: wait for iPhone 17 if you really want Apple AI features.

Cesar Battistini Maziero

Never buying a non pro iPhone again.

But the pro never has colors =/ I love me a green iPhone.

jellyapple

ChatGPT-4o can run on iphone 12 or even  iPhone Xs.  No need to spend money on iPhone (15+n) Pro/Max.

dewme

Apple Intelligence puts the iPad mini directly in the crosshairs as a device that absolutely needs an upgrade to a contemporary Apple Silicon SoC - now. Otherwise it becomes an orphan in Apple’s iPad lineup. 

dk49

rbnetengr said:

dk49 said:

The fact that they only kept iPhone 15 Pro in the list indicates that there might be many core AI features exclusive to iPhone 16. It's probably the first time that a major ios feature is only available on the latest iPhone. 

Siri was a new feature with the iPhone 4S that was not backward compatible.  It had been an app in the App Store prior to Apple acquiring the rights to it.  Then it was removed as a standalone app and only available in iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S.

i think FaceID was also a new feature that was not backward compatible with all the iPhones using TouchID (only available on iPhone X).  And TouchID was a new feature that required the TouchID enabled Home button.

So this isn't the first time they introduce a forward looking app that isn't supported by previous models.  And probably the only reason it will be supported by the 15Pro/Max is because they want people using it the day that the iOS 18 Public beta is released, and for a large installed base to use it on their 15Pro/Max when iOS 18 is officially released.  There won't be many iPhone 16s out in the wild to show off the new AI features.

I was the owner of a 4S (Siri),  a 6 (it had something new and unique, like Force Touch screen) and iPhone X (FaceID), and now a 14 Pro (Dynamic Island).  With this history of buying new models for the first year release of some breakthrough features, I can say that the improvements made to the following year iPhones made my iPhones feel dated, even though I hung onto them for a long time.  My advice: wait for iPhone 17 if you really want Apple AI features.

FaceID, touch ID were hardware driven features, not software driven features. Apple Intelligence doesn't require a new category of hardware. Sure, more powerful GPU/NPU helps but it's not that previous iPhones didn't have these or had poor GPU/NPUs.

alfscats

Might be worth adding details to the article of what’s required to run all the AI features (like code complete) on macOS in Xcode. I believe it requires 16GB RAM, for instance. 

danox

anantksundaram said:

GeneT said:

Apple just told the world that almost everyone with an iPhone will need to buy a new phone to do this stuff. (Only last year's Pro phones as good enough). How can the stock possibly be down?

Perhaps because it may not move the needle on iPhone demand all that much, as a lot of people don't (yet) think that the current menu of AI offerings goes much beyond being on a scale of laughable (Gemini)-to-mediocre (ChatGPT/MetaAI/Anthropic)?

For example, to the extent that it's useful, the OpenAI app works perfectly fine for me on my iPhone 14 Pro Max. Normally, I upgrade every two years, but unless the iPhone 16 offers something more radical than typically touted attributes like more speed, smaller bevel size, longer battery, better camera, is a wee bit thinner etc., I may skip even the 16. At this point, the phones (and iPads) are so good that even an Apple-crazy customer like myself is starting to go 'meh' with the incremenaility of hardware improvements. 

But once it gets released to the public lift-off.  https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/this-was-steve-jobs-most-controversial-legacy-it-was-also-his-most-brilliant.html.

grandact73

I don't believe for a second that Apple Intelligence couldn't work on the iPhone 14 Pro. This is clearly a scheme to force people to upgrade.

chasm

GeneT said:

Apple just told the world that almost everyone with an iPhone will need to buy a new phone to do this stuff. (Only last year's Pro phones as good enough). How can the stock possibly be down?

Ooh I know the answer to this one: the stock isn’t down at all!

Not sure what planet you’re writing from, but the stock has gone up from $194.73 on June 7th to its current price as of 3pm ET on 13-June of … $213.76. I’m not great with math, but that appears to me to be somewhere around a 10 percent increase across the week.

Having said that, it’s possible the market reaction is tempered by the fact that quite a significant section of the market are not going to toss their iPhone 13s and 14s in the garbage the minute the iPhone 16 comes out, since they will still get all the non-AI benefits of iOS 18 (including quite a few nice little features).

Or maybe the market just wants to wait and see if your belief holds up (I don’t think you’re wrong, FWIW). I think it will indeed launch an iPhone super cycle, though there will be some consumer resentment also that these features need more oomph than the iPhone 14 family provides.

OTOH, anyone who bought an M-series Mac or iPad over the last four years may not feel the need to upgrade immediately, but I’ll wager their customer loyalty to Apple just shot through the roof.

chasm

grandact73 said:

I don't believe for a second that Apple Intelligence couldn't work on the iPhone 14 Pro. This is clearly a scheme to force people to upgrade.

Because you’re an industry-recognized chip engineer that knows intimately the differences in chip design and capability between the chip used in the 14 Pro and the 15 Pro, and also has access to documentation on exactly how much computing power each AI feature requires.

OR you’re just a loudmouth conspiracy theorist who thinks your uninformed opinion is a fact.

Hmmmm ….

chasm

jellyapple said:

ChatGPT-4o can run on iphone 12 or even  iPhone Xs.  No need to spend money on iPhone (15+n) Pro/Max.

That’s true, but at a considerable privacy cost (and literal money cost if you want the really good features).

ChatGPT is more useful than typical search engines, but not good for more than general queries at the free level. The features Apple has thrown into the AI component of iOS 18 should be a strong signal to almost anyone running pre-iPhone 12 that it is now or nearly time to upgrade.

Flappo

Not interested in this ai stuff , watch 2001 and see what HAL gets up to or Skynet even more recently…

Real Pandora’s box situation