The mobile landscape is changing, with Apple revealing new features in iOS 18 in WWDC24 and Google announcing the launch date of Android 15 in their recent I/O.
Candyspace's tech leads round up the most interesting and exciting trends in mobile and what this could mean for digital publishers, broadcasters and retailers.
1. Generative AI
The buzz in recent mobile developer conferences has been around integrations with generative AI platforms. Our tech leads give their analysis on what this means for mobile platforms.
“WWDC24 was Apple’s most interesting in years with the announcement of ‘Apple Intelligence’, with Generative AI features built into many existing Apple iOS apps. Some highlights include:
Chat GPT integration into Siri:
"Apple finally disclosed how their long rumoured partnership with Open AI would manifest on handsets with the integration of Chat GPT into Siri. While this is an evolution of Siri’s existing capabilities and not a complete reboot, users can ask Siri questions as usual with the option of going to Chat GPT for more in depth answers and analysis.
Apple Intelligence:
"Perhaps more exciting were demonstrations of how AI will be integrated as a layer within iOS 18 itself, something Apple are calling ‘Apple Intelligence’. This layer sees enhancements to multiple apps in one go, including upgrades to Siri to allow intelligent searches of Calendar, Maps and Mail without hunting through multiple apps. Crucially, this layer is all done on the user’s device and not in the cloud (unlike the Chat GPT integration within Siri, which is optional).
“All of this is very exciting for app developers - we eagerly await details of new native APIs that will help us build better experiences for users.”
- Josh Rideout, Lead iOS Developer
“User privacy and security are paramount in Apple's AI approach. This philosophy extends to the upcoming AI features in iOS 18, with Apple aiming for on-device processing wherever possible. On-device processing keeps your data on your iPhone, enhancing both security and privacy compared to cloud-based processing on third-party servers.
“The vast amount of data needed to train AI is a cause for concern as smartphone giants such as Apple and Google add these capabilities. This is why Apple has been developing powerful AI-focused chips like the M4 in recent iPads, with the iPhone 16 expected to follow suit this autumn.”
- Adam Davey, Director of Technology
“In May’s recent Google I/O, all the buzz was all about Generative AI. Here are some highlights from a few of their Android demos:
‘Gemini Live’
“Google demoed a new experience in AI-powered chatbot Gemini called ‘Gemini Live’, which lets users have a real time voice conversation on their device. Users can interrupt Gemini while it is speaking to modify questions, and can adapt to real time speech patterns.”
Generative AI Search integration
“Google demoed plans to use generative AI to power entire Google Search results pages. Depending on the query, a Google search may show AI-based summaries of reviews, discussions from social media platforms and AI-generated lists of suggestions.”
Ask Photos
“Ask Photos will launch later this summer and will allow users to search across their Google Photos collection using natural language queries that leverage Gemini’s understanding of their library’s metadata.”
- Tiago Almeida, Lead Android Developer
“The recent failures of dedicated AI devices like the Humane AI Pin and R1 Rabbit highlight that the future of AI for most people lies in mobile phones. This trend was evident in the OpenAI ChatGPT-4o demo and the latest ARM and Apple mobile CPUs, which feature dedicated AI processing on the device. Demos are just that though - it will be interesting to see how users adopt these new AI toys and how useful they will be.”
- Ian Palmer, Lead QA Engineer
2. Foldable devices
Foldable smartphones are on the rise with global sales at record levels. These devices can ‘flip’ or ‘fold’ to give consumers the convenience of having access to a larger screen that can fit in a pocket or small bag.
“Foldable phones represent a significant innovation in mobile technology, but challenges remain. Many applications are not yet optimised for the unique aspect ratio and functionality of foldable displays, leading to compatibility issues. Durability is also a potential concern for some users, although advancements are being made.”
- Adam Davey
"Foldable has seen innovation from players such as Samsung, Xiaomi, and Google. We can expect a wider variety of foldable devices at more accessible price points, seamlessly integrating into our everyday routines.”
- Tiago Almeida
“While all the excitement around foldable devices is currently focused around the Android ecosystem, there is rumour and speculation growing around Apple developing a foldable version of their iPhone. Some commentators have suggested this device may be called "iPhone Flip" or "iPhone Fold", but this is still in its early development stages and might not see the light of day until 2026/2027.”
- Josh Rideout
3. Third Party App stores on iOS
Recent antitrust lawsuits have seen Apple reluctantly open up iOS to support third party app stores. Could app publishers use these stores to get round the ‘Apple tax’ and boost margins? And what does this mean for privacy and security?
“The recent EU ruling that mandates the inclusion of third-party app stores on iOS has led Apple to adjust its own App Store policies to remain competitive. To discourage users from turning to third-party stores, Apple has started relaxing some of its long-standing rules, allowing apps that had been rejected for over a decade. This change is evident in the popularity of game emulators, which have become some of the most downloaded apps recently.”
- Ian Palmer
“Apple's forthcoming iOS 17.4 update ushers in a significant shift for European iPhone users. Complying with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) of 2022, the update permits users to download apps from third-party app stores, a move away from the company's longstanding App Store monopoly.
“This change, however, raises security concerns, which Apple acknowledges in a white paper outlining a new vetting process called "Notarization for iOS." This program, an adaptation of the existing Mac software notarization system, employs automated and human reviews to ensure third-party apps are free of malware, function as advertised, and avoid egregious user fraud.
“Notably, unlike App Store listings, Notarization won't provide detailed information on content or in-app purchases. However, it will offer some context through descriptions and screenshots before installation. Additionally, users will receive prominent warnings for apps flagged for malware."
- Adam Davey
4. New Amazon OS
It is an open secret that Amazon is building a new Linux-based operating system to replace Android on Fire TVs, smart displays and other devices. As of now, it is believed that this will not include their Fire phone and tablet devices but how will this effect Amazon's mobile offering going forward?
“While nothing official has been announced, it is an open secret that Amazon are working on ‘Vega OS’, which, gleaned from sources such as job postings and beta testing, suggests it will be focused on their Echo and Fire TV platforms.
“Does this mean their Fire phone and tablet devices will also follow suit? This is unclear, but several Big Tech firms have tried and failed to gain traction with their own self-built mobile operating systems (eg Facebook, Windows, Samsung). So the smart money is on this being limited to voice activated and TV devices only, but never bet against Amazon…”
- Adam Davey
