Apple and Google they would be in negotiations to bring Gemini, the artificial intelligence model of the Mountain View giant, to the iPhone. The tech journalist declared it Mark Gurman on Bloomberg. In the event that the agreement was actually reached, Gemini would be integrated already in iOS 18, the next version of the iPhone operating system, thus allowing its users to generate texts and images directly on their device. The negotiation would be due to the fact that Apple would like to “catch up” with the generative AI solutions already brought to maturity by the competition. We will probably have further details on the agreement in question only next June at the WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference), Apple’s annual developer conference. Given the size of the two companies, if the agreement goes through it could significantly change the global balance for the AI market.
Why the Apple-Google deal is plausible: the benefits for the two companies
Some might wonder whether an agreement is feasible between two companies that, to all intents and purposes, are competing with each other: Apple and Google in fact compete for the smartphone market with the iOS and Android operating systems respectively. The answer is an absolute and decisive “Yes” and for several plausible reasons.
First of all there is already a precedent between the two tech companies. As we learn from a report by New York TimesIn fact, Google has an agreement with Apple to integrate its search engine as default into Safari (the default browser present on the iPhone and other “bitten apple” devices) and which costs “Big G” its beauty of 18 billion dollars every year.
Furthermore, by joining forces, both giants could have significant advantages. For his part Google could access a huge user baseconsidering that active iPhones around the world – according to some statistics updated as of March 13, 2024 – exceed one billion units. On the other hand, Apple would have the advantage of basing its AI functions on powerful and relatively mature technologywhich is Google Gemini, thus allowing iPhone owners to generate textual and visual content without having to resort to third-party applications.
If the agreement actually goes through, it is likely that it will only be possible to confirm it during the annual meeting WWDCexpected next June.
Why does Apple want artificial intelligence on the iPhone
All these implications demonstrate how interested Apple is in not missing such an important train – that of artificial intelligence – and also highlight the fact that the company led by Tim Cook is late in development in house of a generative AI model, to the point of being “forced” to find agreements with companies that already have ready-to-use solutions.
In this regard, according to what Mark Gurman declared in recent months Apple would also test the waters with OpenAI (the company that produces ChatGPT and which is partly owned by Microsoft, which has always been Apple’s rival) but has not found any agreement, at least so far.