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Apple reportedly plans to use next month's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) to highlight its on-device AI capabilities as a competitive advantage, leaning on 15 years of custom silicon expertise to make the case for running AI models locally rather than in the cloud. People familiar with Apple's plans speaking to The Information say the company is expected to showcase how the chips designed for iPhones, Apple Watches, and Macs give it an edge in processing AI queries directly on devices. While cloud-based processing will remain necessary for complex queries, Apple will position local inference as a privacy-preserving, cost-saving alternative to the massive data center buildouts its rivals have pursued. As part of its agreement with Google , Apple is apparently set to use a large version of Google's Gemini model to train a smaller, distilled version capable of running locally on Apple hardware. Apple is also said to be scouting acquisitions to help advance its model-shrinking work, with one company it has reportedly considered being Liquid AI, a Massachusetts startup focused on running AI locally on devices. Some queries will still require cloud processing. Apple is believed to have approved the use of Nvidia's confidential compute technology within Google Cloud to handle processing of the larger Gemini-based model. The security feature encrypts data and AI models during processing, adding a modest performance cost but offering stronger privacy protections. The arrangement represents a noticeable departure from Apple's original Apple Intelligence announcement, in which the company said all cloud-bound queries would be handled exclusively by its own Private Cloud Compute infrastructure running on Apple silicon. Apple is likely to retain the Private Cloud Compute branding despite the change, people familiar with the partnership told The Information . There are also said to be material limits to how far Apple can push on-device processing. Google's full Gemini model runs into the trillions of parameters, and The Information claims that Apple has struggled to run it on its own Private Cloud Compute infrastructure, which uses the same Apple silicon chips found in Mac computers. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ was first announced at WWDC 2024 , but the rollout has been hampered by a tepid response to initial features and a protracted delay to the more personal version of Siri . Apple is now expected to use WWDC 2026 , which runs from June 8 to reframe the narrative, reintroduce the delayed features, and debut new ones. Related Roundup: WWDC 2026 Tags: Apple Intelligence , The Information , WWDC 2026 Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech Industry This article, " Report: Apple Plans to Make On-Device AI a Key WWDC Focus " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
There are nearly half a million Cherokee people around the world, but less than 0.5% of them speak their language natively, prompting educators to turn to iPad and Mac to help preserve the language. A Cherokee Immersion School student uses iMovie to add narration to a story in Keynote | Image credit: Apple Language is a living thing, and as such, it depends on speakers to not only keep it alive but also ensure its future survival. Some languages, especially those spoken by Indigenous Americans, are in danger of extinction. Today, there are fewer than 1,500 fluent Cherokee language speakers. Among the world's 480,000 Cherokee people, only 0.31% speak the language fluently. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
On Thursday, the Oura Ring 5 debuted with new AI-driven health monitoring, blood pressure trend tracking, and integrated medical records as the smart ring company pushes deeper into preventive healthcare beyond sleep and fitness tracking. Oura Ring 5 The Oura Ring 5 is 40% smaller than the Oura Ring 4 after a redesign of the ring's sensors, signal architecture, and internal hardware. Engineers rebuilt the ring's mechanical, electrical, optical, battery, and sensing systems to shrink the hardware. New features focus on nighttime breathing, metabolic health, and connected medical care. The redesign keeps the ring's existing tracking features while expanding its broader health tools. The launch pushes Oura closer to territory already occupied by Apple Health and Apple Watch for iPhone users. New software features emphasize long-term biometric analysis, medical record integration, AI-generated health guidance, and connected care services. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
As Apple readies big new software announcements at WWDC 2026, the company's powerhouse chips could be its secret weapon in the AI tech war to come. Apple Intelligence could run on-device, improving privacy and performance. Apple is expected to unveil iOS 27 alongside new software for the iPad, Mac, Apple Watch , and Apple Vision Pro at WWDC. The event will kick off on June 8, with software updates for all of Apple's platforms to be previewed. It's very likely that many of the new features that Apple announces will be powered by AI. Now, a new report suggests that Apple's ability to run AI models locally rather than in data centers could be vital to its success. Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
