Apple Intelligence: We already told you it won’t be free. But here’s how much it may cost.
We already know that the more advanced Apple Intelligence features might come with a price. Now Apple analysts are predicting what that price might be.
Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research, told CNBC that premium AI features could cost between $10 and $20 for a monthly subscription. "Software and services makes it more lucrative for Apple to pass it on with the Apple One subscription model," Shah told the outlet.
So certain Apple Intelligence access could be bundled into the Apple One subscription as a higher subscription tier. Apple One starts at $19.95 a month and includes Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and Apple Fitness+, which are premium versions of free Apple services. From this standpoint, a paid Apple Intelligence subscription would fit the freemium model it uses with others. "Apple is one of the few connected devices companies that has successfully monetized the value-added services it offers," told CCS Insight chief researcher Ben Wood to CNBC.
According to previous reports, Apple is exploring Apple Intelligence+ in order to get a cut of subscription revenue with its AI partners like OpenAI. It would also be a way to offset the costs of AI investment, which isn't cheap.
The timing of this is uncertain. Even some of the Apple Intelligence features announced at this year's WWDC won't be available until next year. That includes features related to Siri's AI revamp like understanding personal context and on-screen awareness.
However, there are some Apple Intelligence features you can try now through the iOS 18.1 developer beta. Writing Tools, Call Recording, and some new AI-powered Siri features are available to test out. And they're free — for now.