Apple set to launch slimmer iPhone Air, boosts AI plans

Apple is expected to unveil new iPhones on September 9, with analysts highlighting the rumored launch of a slimmer iPhone Air as the main draw.

The device is expected to sit between the base iPhone 17 and Pro models in price, targeting users who want a thinner handset.

A significant change in form factor could encourage upgrades, though a foldable iPhone is not expected until next year.

Competitors like Samsung and Google already have multiple foldable phones, but they account for less than 2% of global sales and are not expected to exceed 5% soon.

Apple is also working on improved AI features for Siri and is in early talks to use Google’s Gemini AI.

Analysts say Apple needs to accelerate AI capabilities and consider new hardware to maintain its market position, especially in China.

🔗 Source: South China Morning Post

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Apple’s AI lag contrasts with its historical innovation leadership

Apple transformed entire industries when it launched the iPhone in 2007, driving mobile internet traffic to surge dramatically and spurring the creation of 2.1 million apps that generated $10.5 billion in revenue by Q1 2017 alone2.
The company’s iPhone success made it the world’s first public company to reach a $1 trillion valuation by 2018, with iPhone sales accounting for 56% of Apple’s revenue3.
Today’s competitive landscape shows Apple trailing in AI capabilities, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max excelling mainly in productivity tasks like summarizing notifications, while Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra leads in creative photo editing4.
The current AI competition reveals Apple’s challenge in balancing its privacy-focused, on-device processing approach against competitors like Google who leverage powerful cloud integration for more advanced features5.

Foldable phones present Apple’s next major market entry decision

The foldable market remains small but growing, with shipments projected to reach 19.8 million units in 2025, maintaining around 1.6% market penetration6.
Samsung dominates globally but faces pressure from Huawei, which is projected to capture 34.3% of the global foldable market share in 2025, particularly strong in China6.
Apple’s absence from foldables is notable given that competitors like Samsung are on their seventh generation of folding phones while Google is on its third1.
Apple’s anticipated 2026 entry into foldables could follow its historical pattern of entering markets later but successfully, similar to how it transformed the smartphone industry despite not being first6.