Don’t worry – paid Apple Intelligence features are rumored to be coming in a few years

Apple Intelligence is set to be one of Apple’s most exciting software updates in years, adding a whole host of AI features to your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. But it could also come at a cost — at least eventually.

Recently, one analyst predicted that Apple would charge $20 per month for some Apple Intelligence features. However, another respected Apple observer says it will likely take years for these paid features to be introduced.

Mark Gurman, writing in his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg (via Apple Insider ), says Apple likely won’t charge for this first wave of Apple Intelligence features, but he adds that we could eventually see more advanced features that Apple will be able to justify asking users to pay for.

Three years of free features

Apple Intelligence Screenshot from WWDC

A selection of things Apple Intelligence can do (Photo source: Apple)

However, Gurman says these more advanced features are likely three years away from arriving – meaning Apple device users won’t have to pay for Apple Intelligence until at least 2027.

Even then, the existing Apple Intelligence suite of features will likely remain free, allowing you to take advantage of many of Apple’s AI solutions without having to pay for a subscription.

Gurman doesn’t go into detail about the more advanced, paid features, but Apple Insider speculates that they could be aimed at enterprise users, education, or specialist users, in which case they could be things that the average user doesn’t want or need at all.

As for the first wave of Apple Intelligence features, they are expected to arrive in or around October – shortly after the launch of the iPhone 16 line – and will include a significant update to Siri that will make her smarter and more conversational, as well as generative AI tools for things like image creation and editing, writing, and organizing.

So we don’t have to wait long for these changes, and the introduction of additional features, including ChatGPT integration, is planned for later this year and in early 2025.