Apple had to invest a lot in developing Apple Intelligence AI. According to analysts, it will pass that cost on to you as a subscription fee. However, people aren’t very happy about this.
Apple announced Apple Intelligence during WWDC 2024 as its own AI suite, even hijacking the abbreviation “AI.” The service won’t debut with the iPhone 16, as several insiders have reported that it’s not ready yet.
A CNBC report cites Counterpoint Research analyst Neil Shah, who claims that Apple will charge for the AI features. Shah has predicted that “Apple could charge between $10 and $20 for Apple Intelligence, potentially as part of Apple One, for more premium AI features.”
Another analyst corroborated Shah’s claims. Ben Wood, Chief of Research at CCS Insight, told the publication that Apple has “successfully monetized the value-added services it offers” and that “it can’t be ruled out that Apple may choose to charge for more advanced features within its Apple Intelligence offering.”
In the past, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has also predicted that Apple wants to turn Apple Intelligence into a paid service. Gurman mentioned that we might see something called “Apple Intelligence+,” where users may have to pay for more advanced features.
Apple is not one to leave money on the table. Companies like OpenAI and Anthropic already charge for advanced AI features, and the Cupertino giant might follow suit.
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It won’t be alone in the smartphone world when it comes to charging for AI features, as Samsung has also revealed plans to turn Galaxy AI into a subscription-based service.
However, Apple users on Reddit aren’t exactly thrilled about the news. “Well, I predict that I’m not going to pay them a cent and I do have an iPhone 15 Pro,” said one user. “I predict no one is going to pay for this s**t,” added another.
“lol, I want none of it, even if it’s free,” one Redditor replied. “That’s a good way to get people not to buy your s**t,” wrote another.
Apple Intelligence is set to fully launch officially in late 2024, but the company has yet to confirm if it will charge for its most premium features.