AppleIntelligence Launched, Met with User Backlash: Just Siri in Disguise, or ChatGPT Reskinned?

AppleIntelligence Launched, Met with User Backlash: Just Siri in Disguise, or ChatGPT Reskinned?Finally, the iPhone 16 series' core competitive advantage, AppleIntelligence, has been launched! However, after the initial experience, netizens have expressed their disappointment on social media platforms abroad. Many have bluntly stated that AppleIntelligence is just Siri with a new coat of paint, even comparing it to a ChatGPT reskin

AppleIntelligence Launched, Met with User Backlash: Just Siri in Disguise, or ChatGPT Reskinned?

Finally, the iPhone 16 series' core competitive advantage, AppleIntelligence, has been launched! However, after the initial experience, netizens have expressed their disappointment on social media platforms abroad. Many have bluntly stated that AppleIntelligence is just Siri with a new coat of paint, even comparing it to a ChatGPT reskin.

Siri in Disguise? "I can't find anything about a local or cloud-based large language model in AppleIntelligence."

One user on X platform lamented, "I can't find anything that makes AppleIntelligence rely on local or cloud-based large language models. It redirects all my requests to GPT chat." Another user echoed, "Siri changed its name to AppleIntelligence, but its function is just a medium. Users ask questions, and it goes to ChatGPT for answers. Siri isn't smart enough, ChatGPT isn't very stable, and the double debuff makes Siri even less stable. It's better to go directly to ChatGPT."

"Apple has always marketed itself with an exclusive brand image, giving the impression of redefining a category."

One tech blogger went even further in a lengthy post criticizing Apple, "Apple's AI technology is two years behind its competitors, and they've integrated ChatGPT. AppleIntelligence merely offers a nicer user interface, turning their 'different' spirit into a joke."

Apple CEO Tim Cook, in response to the AI technology lagging issue, said that Apple is doing things in a way that best suits its customers, focusing more on user experience than on being an industry leader.

But for Apple, which has always positioned itself as a leader in technological innovation, this statement seems somewhat inadequate. After all, the iPhone and AirPods once led transformations in the mobile phone and Bluetooth industries.

Besides Siri's underwhelming performance, many users are complaining that the iPhone 15/15Plus and older models can't use AppleIntelligence, while the lower-tier iPhone SE4 might support Apple's AI feature.

Some users even mocked Apple with Teslas autopilot hardware upgrade policy, arguing that Apple's long-lasting system update and maintenance services for devices are a product highlight and a testament to its reliability. However, the inability of the iPhone 15/15Plus to use AppleIntelligence has left those users feeling abandoned.

While the A17 and older chipsets might not have enough AI computing power to run local large language models, they can run cloud-based models.

Cloud-based models offer a more advanced and complete experience compared to local models, and the security issue is manageable under Apple's robust privacy system. In fact, domestic phone manufacturers have already integrated AI into their underlying architecture, providing a substantial upgrade to AI features even on phones with the Snapdragon 8Gen2 or older chipsets.

We believe that Apples refusal to provide AI capabilities for older models is primarily driven by the desire to sell new phones.

Users on YouTube have also given AppleIntelligence low ratings, believing that Apple has ruined Siri by making it worse. They also point out that the writing functionality offered by AppleIntelligence can be achieved using ChatGPT.

One user quipped, "Apple's potential is like my bank account. Things might be better if I don't check it often. Disappointment every time has turned it into a joke."

For a long time, Apple has been a leader in the mobile phone, tablet, headphone, and smartwatch industries, with many of its functions being pioneering and imitated by Google and Android phone manufacturers.

However, in recent years, Apple seems to have fallen into the "copycat" trap, with countless users mocking Apple every year at its WWDC conference for copying design elements from Android systems.

Jia Yueting, a former player in the smartphone industry, said after the release of the iPhone 16 series that Apple is becoming mediocre, and without Steve Jobs, it increasingly resembles a giant without a soul. This statement likely reflects the sentiments of many.

The constant back-and-forth between self-development and collaborations makes Apple's lackluster AI performance unsurprising.

From investing $10 billion in car manufacturing over a decade and ultimately abandoning the project, to the VisionPro headset's imminent discontinuation, Apple has suffered successive setbacks in its new product development. It's hard not to wonder if Steve Jobs' legacy is being squandered.

Apple currently faces two paths:

First, turn AppleIntelligence into a GPT-4-based reskinned app, offering a better user experience, but at the cost of destroying Apple's image as an industry leader.

Second, stick to a self-developed large language model, partially sourced from OpenAI, but potentially facing user feedback like "the experience is not as good as ChatGPT" and "I can do these things with ChatGPT."

From a consumer's perspective, the first path is obviously preferable.

From Apple's perspective, the second path benefits long-term development.

Moreover, according to FutureSearch statistics, OpenAI has only about 10 million global commercial and personal users, while the iPhone has 167 million users in the United States alone, with a global user base that far surpasses OpenAI. Most people are already used to the less-intelligent Siri and don't have high demands for AI functionality.

Considering netizens' dissatisfaction on X regarding the iPhone 15/15Plus and older models being unable to run AppleIntelligence, it seems that "whether it exists" is more critical than "how well it works."

The initial user reviews are mostly negative because those users follow tech closely and were quick to update after the launch. Most users who don't pay attention to AI features may not even bother commenting online, given the inherent difference in priorities between tech enthusiasts and average consumers.

The current AI features in AppleIntelligence are sufficient to meet the needs of most ordinary users. As Apple's AI technology advances, the AppleIntelligence experience will gradually improve.

Partnering with local companies, can Apple's AI make a comeback in China?

According to Apple's plans, the Chinese version of AppleIntelligence is expected to launch in April next year. However, its entry into the Chinese market is still uncertain at this stage.

Rumors suggest that the Chinese partner for AppleIntelligence is Baidu, and the product might be based on the Ernie large language model.

However, there is no clear confirmation, and the truth will have to wait for further leaks.

After meeting with Minister of Industry and Information Technology Jin Zhuanglong, Tim Cook also visited Weibo's headquarters and stated that AppleIntelligence is currently undergoing the necessary procedures and will hopefully be released soon.

Given Cook's statement, it seems that AppleIntelligence's entry into China is a certainty. Even if it is based on Ernie or another domestic large language model, we don't have to worry about it being unusable.

Before AppleIntelligence enters the Chinese market, consumers can try out AI features on the new flagships from brands like OPPO, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Honor to compare and choose the product that best meets their expectations.

In conclusion, while AppleIntelligence's launch has sparked widespread discussion, its performance thus far has been underwhelming.

As a company with strong technological capabilities, Apple's development in the AI field is worth anticipating. However, whether its products can meet users' growing demands remains to be seen.