Kuo: Apple Upgrading iPhone 16 Microphone to Boost Siri AI Experience

[MacRumors]

Apple plans a significant upgrade to the iPhone 16 microphone to improve the new AI-enhanced Siri experience, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Writing in his latest Medium post, Kuo says that "strengthening Siri's hardware and software features and specifications is the key to promoting AI-generated content," adding that Apple's generative AI ambitions and integration of large-language models (LLMs) into Siri will heavily rely on improved voice input processing.

To that end, Apple is preparing a major microphone upgrade for the iPhone 16, with better signal-to-noise ratio a key specification that will "improve the Siri experience significantly," says Kuo. The new microphone will also have better water resistance.

The upgrade corroborates other reports suggesting Apple plans to make enhanced Siri features a key selling point of the iPhone 16. New Siri features powered by LLMs are expected in iOS 18, and Kuo's report notes that Apple reorganized its Siri team in the third quarter of this year to integrate generative AI and LLMs. However, Kuo's predictions also add weight to rumors that additional on-device AI features could remain exclusive to the iPhone 16 models.

According to the analyst's latest survey, AAC and Goertek are the microphone suppliers for the iPhone 16, and will benefit equally from the specification upgrade. "The ASP of microphones for each iPhone 16 will be at least 100–150% higher than that of the iPhone 15," says Kuo. "As a result, AAC's and Goertek's revenues and earnings are expected to benefit significantly from this upgrade."

Article Link: Kuo: Apple Upgrading iPhone 16 Microphone to Boost Siri AI Experience

 

[Eldaerenth Faexidor]

Hope this time they’re able to nail it. Siri’s overhaul is long overdue.

 

[swiftapplefan]

Well, that’s a massive improvement. I can’t wait for the new Siri, though it will be a bummer that some features will be locked to the 16’s

 

[dampfnudel]

Looks like another sign that advanced Siri will be limited to the 16 lineup. It should be quite an upgrade from the 15 lineup, especially the 16 Pro with advanced Siri, huge camera upgrades, bigger display, minor redesign, stacked battery tech, improved thermals, 5G Advanced and more.

 

[Malus120]

JFC Apple its not the microphone that needs fixing... 🙄
(That said, better hardware is always a plus!)

 

[KooL BeAnZ]

I always hope for Speaker & Mic upgrades as they often get forgotten.

So very happy!

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Hope this time they’re able to nail it. Siri’s overhaul is long overdue.

Overdue? Its only been rubbish for 12 years....

 

[JippaLippa]

When it comes to the iPhone 16, the feature I'm mostly excited for is the 48 Megapixel ultra wide camera.
I always loved the perspective of the lens, but I thought the videos were unusable.

 

[phill85]

Told ya’ll you shoulda waited for the 16 Pro like me! 😎

 

[Keyser Tomassi]

What does ASP stand for? I looked it up but could not find anything on what ASP is in the context of microphones.

 

[rukia]

Is a voice assistant really the feature that will drive sales ? Although it's not as integrated you already have the option to use other voice assistants that are quite capable but very few people do. You can even use chatgpt, with voice via an app, but I don't see that used very much either.

 

[Lyrics23]

What does ASP stand for? I looked it up but could not find anything on what ASP is in the context of microphones.

Average Sale/Selling Price.

 

[flottenheimer]

Siri and AI are two words that should not be used in the same sentence.

Unsurprisingly, Apple will try to fix Siri with a better mic. 🤣🤣🤣

 

[4odomi]

Is a voice assistant really the feature that will drive sales ? Although it's not as integrated you already have the option to use other voice assistants that are quite capable but very few people do. You can even use chatgpt, with voice via an app, but I don't see that used very much either.

That's because for 90% Siri is enough, apart from small children, adults don't need to have conversations with a bot, basic functions are enough, especially when driving!

 

[4odomi]

Told ya’ll you shoulda waited for the 16 Pro like me! 😎

17 Pro's will be even better 😊

 

[TwoBytes]

Great! I find that after I upgrade my phone, it takes a few months, and the mic doesn't pick up everything as well as it used to.

Apple also needs to sort out which device picks up requests. I.e. A house full of homepods and the phone responding to music and playing music when you want the homepod to!

 

[karranz]

Starting at 2500 euro available only in iPhone pro max ultra s.

 

[Zest28]

Told ya’ll you shoulda waited for the 16 Pro like me! 😎

You really have your hopes up for the ****** AI called Siri?

Siri is so bad, I wouldn‘t even care if Apple removed it.

 

[interessiert]

Apple plans a significant upgrade to the iPhone 16 microphone to improve the new AI-enhanced Siri experience, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Writing in his latest Medium post, Kuo says that "strengthening Siri's hardware and software features and specifications is the key to promoting AI-generated content," adding that Apple's generative AI ambitions and integration of large-language models (LLMs) into Siri will heavily rely on improved voice input processing.

To that end, Apple is preparing a major microphone upgrade for the iPhone 16, with better signal-to-noise ratio a key specification that will "improve the Siri experience significantly," says Kuo. The new microphone will also have better water resistance.

The upgrade corroborates other reports suggesting Apple plans to make enhanced Siri features a key selling point of the iPhone 16. New Siri features powered by LLMs are expected in iOS 18, and Kuo's report notes that Apple reorganized its Siri team in the third quarter of this year to integrate generative AI and LLMs. However, Kuo's predictions also add weight to rumors that additional on-device AI features could remain exclusive to the iPhone 16 models.

According to the analyst's latest survey, AAC and Goertek are the microphone suppliers for the iPhone 16, and will benefit equally from the specification upgrade. "The ASP of microphones for each iPhone 16 will be at least 100–150% higher than that of the iPhone 15," says Kuo. "As a result, AAC's and Goertek's revenues and earnings are expected to benefit significantly from this upgrade."

Article Link: Kuo: Apple Upgrading iPhone 16 Microphone to Boost Siri AI Experience

Highly needed!

Everybody who needed some recording, e.g. for documentation of strange motor noises, was disappointed, how little the outcome was.

Apple neglect many of basic functions.

Another example is if the recipient of a telephone call is engaged – no automatic reelection is available (the old Nokia already provided this function).

 

[markgpearse]

Siri and AI? 😂😂

 

[gmarm]

I think the bigger part of the problem is what happens _after_ your input is processed.

The accuracy of the input processing at least in my case is decent most of times (although admittedly I don't often find myself in noisy environments).

 

[k1121j]

Great! I find that after I upgrade my phone, it takes a few months, and the mic doesn't pick up everything as well as it used to.

Apple also needs to sort out which device picks up requests. I.e. A house full of homepods and the phone responding to music and playing music when you want the homepod to!

100% the last part

 

[hagar]

They need to focus on the back end. Siri is already quite capable of understanding what you say, but the interpretation is rubbish.

But in typical Apple fashion, they will invent some hardware improvement, so that they can link the all new Siri exclusively to the iPhone 16 series. Smart.

 

[adammusic]

THANK GOD. The siri mics havent been upgraded since the 1st iphone i think?

 

[coffeemilktea]

I'll be glad if Siri could finally give useful answers for a change, instead of directing me to Google all the time.