According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is engaged in active negotiations with Google regarding the potential licensing of Gemini, Google’s leading generative AI engine. This development signifies a potentially groundbreaking shift in the smartphone AI landscape and could have significant ramifications for the industry.
The reported discussions center on Apple licensing Gemini for integration into future iPhone iterations slated for release in 2024. While the specific functionalities envisioned remain undisclosed, such a move suggests the introduction of innovative AI-powered features for iPhone users.
Furthermore, the report indicates that Apple explored collaborations beyond Google, having also held discussions with OpenAI, another prominent player in the AI field. This underscores Apple’s strategic commitment to upgrading the AI capabilities of its iPhones, irrespective of the chosen partner.
The potential implications of this collaboration are substantial. Should Apple decide to leverage Gemini, it would represent a strategic move to incorporate Google’s established expertise in AI. This partnership could usher in a new era of advanced AI functionalities for iPhones.
A successful deal between Apple and Google would expand on their existing partnership in search. We already know Google pays Apple significant sums each year to be the default search engine on iPhones and other Apple devices. However, the specifics of an AI agreement, including financial terms, branding, and implementation details, are still under negotiation.
iPhone Rival Already has Gemini
Google introduced Gemini in December 2023 as a model with multimodal capabilities that can train on and generate text, images, audio, and video. Samsung flagship Galaxy series are Apple iPhones biggest competitor.
Samsung Galaxy S24 is powered by Google Cloud, which uses Gemini Pro and Imagen 2 for its cloud-based AI features and Gemini Nano for its on-device AI.
Gemini Pro powers some features of Samsung’s apps including Notes, Voice, Recorder and Keyboard app while Gemini Nano powers some offline functionalities in Google Messages and Magic Compose.
However, Apple deal with Google is expected to be the highest-profile partnership for Gemini to date. Apple has more than 2 billion devices in active use that could potentially become home to Google Gemini later this year.
Any partnership is likely to attract the scrutiny of the industry regulators. The existing search deal between Google and Apple is under legal scrutiny. The US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit challenging this agreement.
