Posted on 02/12/2025 8:13:00 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Apple is partnering with Alibaba to roll out artificial intelligence features for iPhone users in China, the Information reported on Tuesday, citing one person with direct knowledge of the decision.
The development could clear months of uncertainty over Apple's AI strategy for China, where it has been losing market share to domestic rivals, including a resurgent Huawei whose smartphones have included AI tools since last year...
Apple had selected Baidu as its main partner last year, but the Chinese company's progress in developing models for Apple Intelligence fell short of its standards, the report said.
After that, Apple considered models developed by Tencent, TikTok-parent ByteDance, Alibaba and Deepseek, but it passed on Deepseek as the startup's team lacked the manpower and experience needed to support a large customer, the report said...
The companies have submitted the Chinese AI features they co-developed for approval by China's cyberspace regulator, the report said.
Rolling out the tools is crucial as iPhone sales dipped in the holiday quarter - usually Apple's biggest period of sales - due to a lack of AI features that were meant to be the chief selling point of its latest devices...
The Information said Apple's decision to go with Alibaba was partly driven by the vast troves of personal data the e-commerce giant has on users' shopping and payment habits, which could help it train models and deliver more customized services.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
those agitated over Chinese ownership of TikTok seem strangely unconcerned over the vast majority of Americans being wedded to cell phones made in China
[snip] According to a report from The Information, the two tech titans have already submitted the AI capabilities for approval from China's cyberspace regulator. However, a timeline for any introduction of the new tech remains unknown. It is understood that Apple had previously looked at working with Baidu BIDU in China, but this ended after Baidu's AI model reportedly failed to meet Apple's standards. Other names in the frame seeking a bite of an Apple AI partnership in China have included ByteDance, Tencent, and DeepSeek, which was dismissed because of its lack of resources and experience in working with a blue-chip customer. [/snip]Apple (AAPL) and Alibaba (BABA) Shares Rise on Reports of Chinese AI iPhone Partnership | David Craik | February 11, 2025 | TipRanks
I think Apple and Tesla will continue to lose ground in China.
Absolutely right -- both are aspirational brands, and cost more. The Chinese have a big trade surplus, and tariffs are going to crush the buying power of the Chinese consumer, while not having much impact on the quantity of exports (just the amount they're making on them). Their proposed tariffs on the mere $14 billion of US goods they import shows how bad our trade deficit is. :^( Tesla vehicles are, however, made in China.
The Eurholes are phasing in a ban on gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles, but Tesla also manufactures in Germany. As EV adoption has grown, Tesla's production has been most of that, but there's more interest, and market share will decline. Also we've been in the DNC/COVID/Biden recession for years, and unsold vehicle inventories have climbed.
I suspect there will be the sub-$30K Tesla sedan before the end of the year, and Modi is coming to kiss DJT's ring, so India is likely to be getting its own Tesla factory to make those.
2/3rds of mobile phones are made in China.
https://search.brave.com/search?q=where+does+samsung+manufacture+phones&summary=1
Where are Samsung phones made
Samsung manufactures most of its phones in Vietnam, specifically in the Thai Nguyen province where six factories produce over 100 million smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices annually.
Additionally, Samsung has a large mobile factory in India, located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, which has a production capacity of 120 million units per year and primarily serves the Indian market.
Samsung also has manufacturing facilities in South Korea, but smartphone production there is less than 10% of its global shipments and mainly serves the local market.
vast majority of Americans being wedded to cell phones made in China
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The parts for the iPhone are made in many countries, including the US. The parts are assembled into phones in China; however, large assembly plants are either operational or plan to be in Vietnam and India.
When we say “made in the USA” or “made in China”, we are typically referring to the place of assembly rather than to sourcing of components. Anyway, it seems to me that if Tik Tok is a threat to national security, iPhones are a bigger threat.
AI in China will only include Chinese Communist party approved data.
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