February 4th week IT News
- The iPhone 16E is an exciting new entry-level model from Apple that is poised to replace the existing iPhone SE series.
- Pricing begins at $599 for the 128GB model in the United States, aiming to compete with the Galaxy S25 series.
- Visual intelligence features are being added to the iPhone 15 Pro, allowing users to gain relevant information about objects or locations through their phone's camera.
Apple Announces iPhone 16E, HP Acquires Humain AI, and More
Summary
- Apple has introduced a new entry-level iPhone 16E, replacing the older iPhone SE series.
- Apple will incorporate visual intelligence in the iPhone 15 Pro.
- Humane AI’s pin device was discontinued and acquired by HP for $116 million.
- Perplexity unveils its own in-depth research tool, Deep Research.
- The significance of AI as an important customer for brands is highlighted.
Apple’s New Entry-Level iPhone 16E Announced
The iPhone 16E is an exciting new entry-level model from Apple that is poised to replace the existing iPhone SE series. This move is aimed at capturing a larger market share by offering a more affordable option to potential buyers. The iPhone 16E boasts a 6.1-inch OLED display, a departure from the Home button with the introduction of Face ID, and includes two color options: black and white. Powered by the latest A18 chip and Apple’s own modem, C1, the iPhone 16E supports 5G connectivity, ensuring fast and reliable internet speeds. The device promises up to 26 hours of video playback from a single charge and features a 48MP main camera capable of recording 4K video.
Pricing begins at $599 for the 128GB model in the United States, aiming to compete with the Galaxy S25 series. In South Korea, the base model starts at 990,000 won, approximately $750. Despite the price reduction, the iPhone 16E does not support wireless charging, which has left some customers dissatisfied. Additionally, as of April, Apple Intelligence support will roll out in Korea, enhancing the device’s capabilities. Apple seems to be responding to the sluggish iPhone market by diversifying its offerings.
As Korea is included as the first launching country, the competition with the Galaxy S25 series seems to be in mind, but in fact, the demand for low-end iPhone is not high. In addition, there is a big voice of dissatisfaction with not supporting wireless charging. Let’s notice how this launch will affect Apple’s sales.
Visual Intelligence for the iPhone 15 Pro
Visual intelligence features are being added to the iPhone 15 Pro, allowing users to gain relevant information about objects or locations through their phone’s camera. Inspired by Google Lens, this feature enables users to quickly retrieve data by pointing their camera at the item of interest. While this technology has been utilized in iPhone 16 series devices, the iPhone 16E lacks a dedicated camera button. Consequently, users will use the ‘Action button.’ Other enhancements are expected in the iPhone 15 Pro as Apple continues to innovate its iPhone line.
But if you don’t have an intuitive way, you won’t be able to change your daily exploration experience. Apple seems to be able to run this feature with the camera control button. It increases the physical accessibility to secure a real usage time.
Humain AI Pin Discontinued, Acquired by HP
The Humain AI pin, a wearable AI device, has been discontinued after a troubled launch. The pin, introduced in April 2024, faced multiple challenges including functionality issues, leading to a return rate exceeding sales volume. Issued due to hardware limitations and negative vendor evaluations, The pin has been discontinued, and the assets were acquired by HP for $116 million. With the acquisition, HP gains more than 300 patents and the Cosmos operating system. Founder and Humain’s technology sector teams will form HP IQ, a new AI research organization within HP, continuing to advance AI technologies.
It’s a product that has been expected by people, but it’s going to HP like this. It was an early attempt to dissolve AI in the product, so I think there were some shortcomings. Above all, it’s a big problem…it didn’t work well.
Not an A.I. Specialist
Perplexity Introduces Deep Research Tool
Perplexity, a leader in AI-driven research tools, has launched Deep Research, a powerful application designed to assist in-depth investigations. The application provides detailed reports on user queries, covering topics such as finance, marketing, and product research. Initially available on web platforms, Deep Research will soon be integrated with iOS, Android, and Mac apps, expanding its accessibility.
Deep Research leverages expert-level data from various fields, allowing users to conduct comprehensive analyses within just 2-4 minutes. The tool reads hundreds of data sources, conducts multiple searches, processes analytics, and offers customizable reports in PDF or for sharing. Perplexity claims an impressive 21.1% accuracy rate, exceeding competitors like O3-Mini and DeepSeek-R1 (more than the latter). However, it trails behind larger competitor Openai.
Perplexity’s move signifies a growing competition in AI research tools, with the added capability of users gaining valuable insights at an affordable cost. Subscribers have a daily limit of 500 inquiries with PRO plan while free users are also allowed five daily queries.
AI as an Important Customer for Brands
The role of AI in product recommendation and brand recognition is evolving, with companies increasingly focused on how AI perceives their products.
AI-driven recommendation systems influence everything from product selection to consumer purchasing habits, making it imperative for brands to tailor their AI-driven branding strategies to align with AI’s expectations.
For instance, AI evaluated Milprep online groceries as a “complicated and tricky purchase process” for its leeks, misleading some varieties. This led the AI to recommend ‘this brand does not recommend consumers because it’s ‘clumsy’ to leeks. Whereas Scotch whisky distributor, Valentine accepted “premium,” redesigning brand through AI evaluations.
Studies have shown that the AI tends to evaluate global brands more positively.
John Doe, MIT Technology Review
This shift underscores the importance of optimizing not only for human consumers but also for AI models, ensuring brands stay compliant with AI-centric marketing and branding strategies.