Apple has presented its alignment of the iPhone 17, with its thinnest smartphone, since the technological giant works to demonstrate that it can maintain rhythm in the generative career of AI.
Silicon Valley Powerhouse celebrated its annual iPhone launch event in the midst of growing pressures: the White House is pressing the company to reduce its dependence on Chinese manufacturing, while investors question whether Apple is really ready for AI’s age.
In addition to these challenges, the company faces winds against high tariff policies of President Donald Trump. Apple’s shares have fallen more than 3% since the Republicans assumed the position in January.
In this context, Apple is betting on a product that hopes to cause a super purchase cycle of iPhone and invests the trend of customers who cling to their devices more time before updating.
“The event shows that Apple avoids the heart of AI’s arms race while positioning itself as a long -term innovator in the AI hardware front, with silicon integration EA device level,” said Emarketer analyst Gadjo Sevilla.
To revitalize its brand, Apple presented the iPhone 17 Air, which CEO Tim Cook called “a total game change.”
With only 5.6 mm thick (less than a quarter of an inch), the $ 999 device presents the new A19 Pro Apple processor, its most powerful iPhone chip to date, and promises battery duration throughout the day with up to 40 hours of video playback.
The AIR joins the most standard Apple line, including the premium iPhone Pro 17, the most expensive and highest performance model of the company.
While all new devices incorporate generative technology, Apple did not make important ads about the expansion of their AI capabilities beyond the updates of the existing characteristics as a whole of “Apple Intelligence”.
The company’s impulse has fought to win traction since “Apple Intelligence” launched at the end of last year. Users have particularly disappointed improvements in Siri, which is still surprisingly basic despite years of promises.
According to reports, Apple plans to integrate AI in the online search next year and review Siri, although the company has not confirmed these reports.
It is also said that the technological giant is associated with Google to take advantage of its search and experience in AI.
“To really differentiate and smoking the competition, Apple will have to decipher AI as a new contextual user interface” on its devices, the Forrester analyst, Thomas Husson said in a note.
“Executing such an ambitious strategy will take time. It will not happen in the best case until next year, if it were not for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone” in 2027, he added.
Air pivot
Industry analysts see the iPhone Air as a strategic pivot, with an Ultra Delgado Design of Apple positioning, instead of larger screens, such as its new premium point of sale.
The Super Delgado profile could also pave the path for the Long -term Apple folding iPhone, which is expected as soon as next year. Samsung and China Huawei already offer folding smartphones.
However, the engineering of such thin devices presents challenges: higher production costs and reduced battery space, although Apple affirms the 24 -hour battery life for the air of the iPhone 17 when it is completely loaded.
Despite the tariffs that increase production costs, Apple maintained the prices of the iPhone without changes in the equivalent models of last year, a movement that can squeeze the gain margins.
Cook revealed in July that Trump’s rates cost Apple $ 800 million the last quarter, with an estimated impact of $ 1.1 billion expected this quarter.
Apple’s shares fell 1.40% after the prices details were announced, which reflects investors’ concerns about the company’s ability to maintain their profit margins.
Apple also presented the AirPods Pro 3, with improved noise cancellation and translation capabilities, together with Apple Watch’s 11 series, which includes 5G connectivity, extended battery duration and cardiac health monitoring features in the pending regulatory approval.
