Apple’s autumn conference is coming: Focus on folding iPhone and AI version of Siri

iPhone maker Apple (AAPL) will hold its autumn conference tomorrow, where it is expected to reveal a new foldable flagship phone and new Siri features. Analysts are optimistic that new CEO Turner will prove that Apple can still launch breakthrough hardware and artificial intelligence (AI) competitive Siri.

Reuters reports that Apple is expected to release upgraded versions of its high-end iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max models tomorrow, while the iPhone Air and other standard and entry-level iPhone models will not be updated until next spring, allowing this launch to focus on the real protagonist: the first foldable iPhone.

Analysts said that although this new iPhone, which can be opened and closed like a passport, is expected to cost more than US$2,500 (approximately NT$79,000), and its camera and processor specifications may not be top-notch, it is still expected to quickly become a leading product in the emerging foldable phone market.

As early as 2019, Apple's rivals such as Samsung, Google and China's Huawei have begun to launch folding phones. However, analysts believe that although Apple entered the market late, it is expected to benefit from its late arrival after solving several key technical problems in this type of product, including making the folding hinge still feel solid after opening and closing it countless times and minimizing screen creases.

As for the virtual assistant function Siri, Apple has previously announced that it will make in-depth changes and partially utilize Google’s AI technology. After years of delays, the Siri initiative may now be the first major achievement for John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook on the 1st of this month.

Analysts said that if Siri can successfully reform this year, it will have a good chance of catching up with its long-term rival, Google's Gemini.

Apple started slowly in the field of generative AI, but investors mostly ignored it because of its more than 1 billion active devices and loyal customer base. But now Turners is under pressure to convince consumers that Apple's devices are the best way to use AI.

Turners' main challenge will be convincing customers to use the new version of Siri, convincing them and third-party software developers that Apple can keep up with rivals like OpenAI, which tends to roll out major upgrades every few weeks, while Apple has traditionally been slower to update.

Since Turners has served as a low-profile Apple hardware technology director for the past five years, analysts expect that in the future he is likely to focus on launching powerful devices as the basis for Apple to expand its own AI.