Apple's New iPhone 15 and AI Software to Take Center Stage at Upcoming 'Glowtime' Event

Apple's new iPhone to glow, but AI software to steal show at next week's launch By Investing.com

Investing.com -- Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)'s new iPhone is set to share the spotlight with Apple Intelligence at the tech giant's 'Glowtime' product launch event next week, with many optimistic that the new AI software could provide a catalyst for upgrades, but there's still reason to remain cautious amid regulatory and geopolitical headwinds. "We believe smartphones supportive of new gen AI capabilities may provide the extra nudge necessary for consumers to justify an upgrade earlier than planned, even in a downbeat economic environment like this one," analysts at Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co., Inc. said in a note to clients on Friday, ahead of the iPhone maker's event on Sept. 9. As the iPhone 16 family isn't expected to feature significant hardware changes, the integration of Apple Intelligence could could reignite users of older iPhone models to upgrade, sparking a new iPhone upgrade cycle. Apple Intelligence is expected to be compatible with all four models of the iPhone 16 family, paving the way for upgrades across the enter iPhone range, but the roll out of Apple's new AI tech may not be immediate. "Apple Intelligence is expected to arrive with a lag relative to the launch of the iPhone 16 family and the availability of its various features staggered," the analysts noted. They added that the initial release will only be available in U.S. English, with support for other languages planned over the next year. Despite the clamour for an AI-enhanced iPhone, the analysts remain cautious on Apple stock, citing regulatory headwinds, geopolitical risks, and economic challenges. Still, Apple's foray into gen AI will be closely watched to see how the tech product trendsetter plans to maintain its "competitive edge in an increasingly saturated smartphone market," they added.

Apple's 'Glowtime' event kicks off on Monday, and there's a lot riding on the iPhone 16

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. If it does, Apple "will be the gatekeeper of the consumer AI Revolution," Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives wrote in a Friday note. The event kicks off Monday at 1 p.m. ET at Apple Park in California and will be live-streamed on Apple's website. Apple is said to be training store employees on the AI features in preparation for the launch. And last week, the marketing exec Greg Joswiak teased the "Glowtime" event on X. Analysts have hailed the coming launch as the key to sparking an iPhone upgrade boom; after all, Apple Intelligence will be fully available only on iPhone 15s and newer models -- like the iPhone 16, which many expect to be unveiled on Monday. "There is a lot riding on these new iPhones," tech analyst Gadjo Sevilla at Emarketer, a sister company to Business Insider, said. "They're Apple's most profitable product category and also the vital cog to the company's expanding universe of services and subscriptions, which is now their second most profitable business." The tech giant is also expected to launch new models of AirPods and the Apple Watch. The watches are set to have larger screens but be slimmed down. Midlevel AirPods could get noise cancellation, and the lower-end AirPods could also get updates. "We believe the excitement over Apple Intelligence can potentially accelerate hardware replacement and enable market share gain for iPhone, iPad, and Mac," Oppenheimer strategists said in a note. With about 1.5 billion iPhones, according to Wedbush analysts, Apple is setting itself up to usher in a "golden upgrade cycle" amid slipping iPhone sales in the last quarter. But it'll have to stick the landing at Monday's event and continue to deliver in the coming months.