AI is quite clearly the buzzword of the mobile industry in 2024, and with news of a potential collaboration between Apple and Google Gemini, it looks like we’re going to have to get used to it. While this is quite a surprising partnership, it’s not set in stone just yet, but it does point to how eager Apple is to catch up with the Android brands in terms of AI capabilities.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is currently in talks with Google to license Gemini for future iOS updates ahead of the launch of the iPhone 16. The report suggests it’s not just Google that Apple has approached but also the team at OpenAI, with the Silicon Valley giant seemingly looking for a partner well-versed in generative AI capabilities to bring the software capabilities to Apple’s smartphones and, we’re assuming, tablets.
What exactly Apple is looking to offer by utilizing Google Gemini isn’t clear, but the brand is no doubt paying attention to Android brands increasingly offering AI features, including text-to-image generation and translation tools. If Apple wants to maintain its dominance in the industry, it needs to embrace AI tools, and Google Gemini might just make the company’s job a little bit easier.
It’s interesting that despite Google having its own range of smartphones, the brand is increasingly collaborating with other companies to offer AI functionality. We saw this first with the arrival of Google’s Circle to Search function debuting at the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Series earlier this year, and it looks like we could see more Google-powered AI with the arrival of both iOS 18 and iPhone 16 later this year.
There you have it, the news that Apple might be embracing Google Gemini for future AI features. If you prefer Android devices to the latest Apple offerings, be sure to check out our guides to the best Samsung phones, best Xiaomi phones, and best OnePlus phones. Or, if you’re looking for a new wearable, see our list of the best smartwatches.