Apple Intelligence No Longer 'Available Now' After False Advertising Inquiry
Apple's highly anticipated Apple Intelligence suite, a major selling point for the iPhone 16, has faced a setback. Initially marketed as "available now," the company has quietly removed this claim from its website following scrutiny from the National Advertising Division (NAD).
The NAD, a truth-in-advertising organization, raised concerns that Apple's advertising was misleading. While certain AI-powered features like Priority Notifications and Image Playground were indeed launched with the iPhone 16, others, including a revamped Siri, were not immediately available. Apple did include footnotes indicating future availability, but the NAD deemed these disclosures insufficient to clarify the distinction.
NAD's Recommendation and Apple's Response
The NAD recommended that Apple either remove or modify the "Available Now" claim to accurately reflect the current state of Apple Intelligence features. Apple complied, removing the phrase from its website. In a statement, Apple expressed disagreement with the NAD's findings but acknowledged the opportunity to collaborate and adhere to the recommendations.
This move suggests that Apple prefers to maintain its marketing promise of future features, even if they are not yet ready, rather than delaying the launch of the iPhone 16. However, the initial reception to the available Apple Intelligence features has been lukewarm. Some features, such as AI summaries, have received negative feedback, leading users to disable them. The much-anticipated AI-infused Siri has faced delays and potential postponement until 2026, prompting executive-level changes within Apple.
In Conclusion, the removal of the "Available Now" claim may be a blessing in disguise for Apple. Given the current challenges and underwhelming performance of existing features, the company might be better off downplaying Apple Intelligence until it can deliver on its promises.
Source: Gizmodo