Amid ongoing talk of big new Apple AI features coming to the iPhone with iOS 18 later this year, a new report believes that the iPhone 17 will be Apple's first true AI phone, and that's enough to get key supply chain partners excited.
According to one new report, PCB suppliers are optimistic that Apple's growing focus on AI will see the iPhone 17 and other Apple devices prove to be strong sellers, even in China where Huawei has recently become the biggest name in town.
In fact, suppliers believe that "Apple can only lose to itself" while Huawei and others, like Samsung, will only be part of the discussion rather than potentially eating its lunch.
Apple is its own competition
That's the news coming out of a paywalled DigiTimes report which notes that suppliers believe that the rapid development of AI could be a significant factor for Apple moving forward. They believe that the iPhone 17 will be Apple's first AI smartphone in 2025 while foldable devices will follow in 2026. ".If other brands fail to introduce killer applications, consumers who have previously used Apple products likely won't have much willingness to switch to other brands," the report explains.
To add context, JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee previously said that it was his belief that Apple's AI timelines and the iPhone 17 itself will drive the upgrade cycle next year.
The new focus on AI, coupled with a supply chain belief that Huawei's surge to prominence in China is little more than patriotic buyers whose approach will change when those sentiments change, bullish. In fact, those within Apple's supply chain believe "that direct competition between Huawei and Apple is nonexistent," the report adds.
Apple is far from alone in leaning on AI as a way to sell hardware and services, but it's a new angle for the iPhone maker to take. That's all expected to kick off with the previewing of iOS 18 and new AI capabilities at WWDC next month.
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