Apple’s AI software in Chinese available only next year

Chinese criticise iPhone 16’s lack of AI

Analysts say AI absence will not impact near-term sale

Apple’s new iPhone launch drew scorn on Tuesday for its lack of artificial intelligence features in China, a challenge for the U.S. giant as it battles growing competition from Huawei Technologies in the world’s largest smartphone market.

Apple has yet to announce an AI partner in China to power the 16s, and Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI software, will be available in Chinese language only next year.

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will cost the same as models they replace. In China, Apple aggressively slashed prices earlier this year, as government restrictions on the use of foreign-branded phones and increased domestic competition weighed on its smartphone sales.

“Whether iPhone 16 has AI or not doesn’t affect me, because I’m going to buy Huawei’s tri-fold phone,” one Weibo user wrote, underscoring the growing popularity of Huawei’s latest models in China that helped it replace Apple as the country’s No.3 smartphone vendor in the second quarter.