iPhone 16 订单数并未增加
Some time ago, it was reported that the number of orders for Apple's iPhone 16 series this year will increase by 10% compared to the previous generation, and it seems that Apple is full of confidence in the new machine. But now, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has a different view, and he believes that the iPhone 16 order volume did not increase in the second half of the year.
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Ming-Chi Kuo cited the recent financial reports of Apple suppliers TSMC and Da Li Guang to support his view. TSMC said they didn't see unit growth; Da Li Guang said that orders for high-end models in 2024 are about the same as last year. Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that Apple's iPhone 16 orders in the second half of 2024 will be about 87 million units, which is not as good as the 91 million units of the iPhone 15 in 2023.
While some suppliers may be asked to increase production, Kuo believes that this may be due to specific reasons for certain industries or modules, rather than an increase in overall order volumes. He also said that counting on Apple Intelligence to drive iPhone 16 sales might be a bit too optimistic.
Just earlier this month, Bloomberg said that Apple is banking on iOS 18's AI capabilities to increase iPhone 16 shipments by 10% in 2024. This is because Apple Intelligence restricts the use of iPhone 15 Pro models, so those who use older iPhones will have to upgrade to iPhone 16 if they want to experience AI technology.
But the problem is that Apple Intelligence will only be available in beta for users in United States in the second half of 2024, and only in English. How many fans would buy an iPhone 16 for such a "half-crippled" Apple Intelligence?
Besides, it's still unknown when Apple Intelligence will be launched in China, and as one of the most important markets for the iPhone, it's even more questionable how many domestic users will get the iPhone 16 for a distant AI feature.
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In short, Apple Intelligence's early support was too limited in regions and languages, and it was really difficult to be the main driver of iPhone 16 sales. Unless the iPhone 16 series has other highlights beyond AI, or there are price adjustments, these factors are more likely to have a direct impact on sales. You see, during this year's 618, iPhones sold like crazy again, and in the final analysis, it was because the price was right.
Apple executives talk about iPad calculators
It wasn't until the latest iPadOS 18 that the iPad finally added the calculator app, an update that was ridiculed by many netizens as the greatest update ever for the iPad. Why is iPad Calculator Late? Ty Jordon, Product Manager for System Experiences, and Jenny Chen, Engineering Manager, recently sat down in an interview to reveal the behind-the-scenes story of the iPadOS 18 calculator app.
Ty Jordon says it wasn't difficult to develop a calculator app on iPad, but the team wanted to create a calculator app that would be truly tablet-friendly. So, they reimagined the way they used the calculator and combined the benefits of Apple Pencil to create the Math Notes feature.
According to Ty Jordon, users can use Apple Pencil to write mathematical formulas on their iPad, and the system automatically recognizes and calculates the results, as if by magic. This is due to Apple's powerful on-device machine learning models and the strong performance of Apple's Silicon chips.
Jenny Chen shared the details of how the graphs are drawn in the math notes. The system intelligently identifies drawable equations and leverages the Swift Charts API to generate smooth, beautiful charts. Users can slide the chart to observe the impact of variable changes on the results.
In addition to math notes, iPadOS 18 introduces Smart Handwriting, which is designed to make handwritten notes neat and legible. The feature beautifies handwriting in real-time through machine learning models, and provides features such as spell checking and pasting handwritten text. Apple says the feature will continue to improve as users spend more time writing.
Although the calculator on the iPad is long overdue, its features do play to the unique advantages of the iPad and Apple Pencil, and finally live up to everyone's expectations.