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Recent speculations have given us our best idea yet of how much Apple Intelligence might cost if Apple decides to lock some features behind a subscription.
Last month Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman stated that while Apple Intelligence might be free at the start, there is a long-term plan to implement a form of “Apple Intelligence+" which will come with extra features that users will have to pay monthly fees for. In a recent interview with CNBC, Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research, said that Apple will want to pass the cost of AI development to the customer.
One issue Apple will face when introducing a subscription is that most iPhones will not run Apple Intelligence. This would mean that only users with one of the iPhone 15 pro series, or the eventual iPhone 16 series, will actually have to pay. Apple will likely be hoping that it will be able to convince enough people to upgrade to help cover the eventual cost. However, it isn't the only company that plans to lock certain features behind a subscription model, as Samsung is still considering various revenue sources for Galaxy AI.
Google also locks some Gemini features behind its Google One subscription plan and this could be a model for how Apple approaches paid-for Apple Intelligence.
While we don't know what the subscription features will be, Apple Intelligence has plenty to offer. The biggest enhancements that have been announced are focused on Siri. Apple has stated that the finished version of the new app will allow Siri to maintain conversation context and be aware of what is happening on the screen. However, our experience with Siri in the current beta does leave some things to be desired.
As stated, Apple won't be the first to lock certain AI features behind a paywall, and Apple is well known for being relatively fair when pricing its subscription services. However, it might be a turn-off for anyone already paying a lot of money to buy a new phone to use the features in the first place.
For more information on all the new AI features and more please check out our breakdown for Apple's 2024 WWDC presentation, and our hubs for the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro for all the news and rumors as we hear them.
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