Consumer electronics company Apple (AAPL) has officially released its artificial intelligence (A.I.) system and unveiled a new iMac computer ahead of the year-end holiday shopping season.
The company has released iOS 18.1, an update that includes the company’s heavily hyped A.I. features, called “Apple Intelligence,” for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro devices.
Apple also released software updates that add it’s A.I. functions to the iPad tablet and Mac computers.
Apple is relying on new A.I. features to help drive future sales of its iPhones and other electronic devices, and some analysts see it as a major catalyst for the company.
However, management at Apple has said that it’s A.I. is limited to start and mostly consists of tools that can proofread and write text for people.
There is also a feature that removes items from photographs. A second A.I. update that includes integration with ChatGPT and image-generation capabilities is to be released by year’s end.
Additionally, Apple has unveiled a new iMac computer that comes with a more powerful M4 microchip.
Along with the faster processor, the iMac comes with as many as four Thunderbolt USB ports, a
24-inch screen, and a textured glass option that can reduce glare.
The new entry-level iMac costs $1,299 U.S., while the higher-end model has a starting price of $1,499 U.S.
Apple has announced several new products in recent weeks as it looks to boost sales heading into the year-end holidays.
The stock of Apple has risen 26% so far this year to trade at $233.40 U.S. per share.