Apple could charge a subscription fee of up to $20 per month for premium features in its upcoming Apple Intelligence AI system, according to industry analysts. The tech giant aims to bolster its services revenue through this potential fee.
Set to launch later this year, Apple Intelligence will initially be free but could transition to a tiered model similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT Plus or Microsoft’s AI Copilot. While Apple has a history of offering free software updates, analysts suggest the company may follow the industry trend of monetizing advanced AI capabilities.
Neil Shah, partner at Counterpoint Research, said investment in AI is expensive and Apple will want to pass that cost onto its users.
“Software and services makes it more lucrative for Apple to pass it on with the Apple One subscription model,” Shah told CNBC in an interview last week.
Apple One costs $19.95 a month and gives users access to various Apple services including Apple Music.
Shah said Apple could charge between $10 and $20 for Apple Intelligence, potentially as part of Apple One, for more premium AI features.
“Apple is one of the few connected devices companies that has successfully monetized the value-added services it offers,” Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, told CNBC this week.
“As a result, it has set a precedent with its users that they have to pay for more premium services. On this basis, it can’t be ruled out that Apple may choose to charge for more advanced features within its Apple Intelligence offering.”
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MacDailyNews Take: Plus, as Apple Intelligence learns about each user, securely on-device, it becomes ever more personalized increasing the stickiness of Apple’s already-very-sticky ecosystem.
Current Apple One rates:
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