Apple's iPhone sales in China plunge 24% as Huawei's popularity surges

Apple is gearing up for a significant upgrade in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) with its upcoming iPhone 16 Pro. According to insights shared by analyst Jeff Pu from Haitong International Tech Research, Apple is set to introduce substantial modifications to its A18 Pro chip, specifically aimed at enhancing on-device AI capabilities. This revelation has sparked anticipation among tech enthusiasts as Apple accelerates production of the A18 Pro chip well ahead of its usual schedule.

Apple enthusiasts are abuzz with anticipation as rumours swirl about the imminent release of a new iPad Air model, possibly even two. Since its last update in March 2022, the tech world has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the 6th generation iPad Air. Although the most recent Apple event in October 2023 did not unveil any new iPads, speculation points towards an early 2024 launch. Here are four exciting developments to expect from the upcoming iPad Air lineup (via 9to5Mac).

Apple Inc. has discussed using Baidu Inc.'s generative artificial intelligence in iPhones and other devices within China, the Wall Street Journal reported, a potentially big win for the domestic search leader.

Earlier this week, Microsoft Corp. named artificial intelligence pioneer Mustafa Suleyman chief of its consumer AI business and hired most of the staff from his Inflection AI startup. A day before, Bloomberg reported that Alphabet Inc.'s Google was in talks to license its Gemini AI engine to Apple Inc.

The European Union has targeted Apple over the past few years for monopolistic and anti-competitive practices, forcing the company to allow alternate app stores and other features in the EU. Now, the United States government is suing Apple on similar grounds.

Apple established its business relationship with Chinese suppliers around 30 years ago, and while the company has formed alternatives in other regions, it will be a difficult task to sever ties with a region that has remained a reliable partner for all these years. In the latest interview with Tim Cook, the company’s Chief Executive highlighted how critical China’s supply chain is to Apple, likely hinting that both will be working with each other for the foreseeable future despite the U.S. government making trade relations difficult.

Apple iPhone 17 may feature a display that is much better than the one on iPhone 15 currently. Notably, Samsung first introduced the anti-reflective coating to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra partnering with Corning. As the display of Samsung's flagship smartphone has gained a lot of popularity, Apple is reportedly heading in a similar direction. A recent report revealed that Apple may introduce a new anti-reflective and scratch-resistant display to the iPhone 17, which will debut in the year 2025. The new display is expected to be more scratch-resistant than iPhone 15's Ceramic Shield. Know what Apple has planned for the next year's iPhone model.

Intel has managed to secure itself from another "wave" of US regulations, as the firm won't face trouble selling its CPUs like AMD to Chinese-sanctioned firms like Huawei.

This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.

Apple made a major concession in its battle to protect the dominance of its App Store on iPhones and other devices in Europe on Tuesday, saying developers will be free to distribute their apps directly to consumers.

Q4 2023 was strong for Intel as the chipmaker shipped 50 million CPUs in the desktop & notebook space, far exceeding AMD & Apple.

Apple escalated its feud with Epic Games on Wednesday, blocking the Fortnite video-game maker from launching its own online marketplace on iPhones and iPads in Europe.