Last week Apple introduced Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI features that will be rolled out to the tech giant’s latest operating systems. Some, however, say Apple Is laying the groundwork to paywall your iPhone. We used to upgrade our phones for better cameras and speed, but lately we're upgrading just to keep our software from feeling second-class. There's just one problem: Apple is essentially creating a caste system with its iPhones. If you don't belong to the right iPhone caste, you're locked out. Apple is giving users a temporary, free taste of a truly intelligent assistant right now to hook them, but the billing tollbooth is already being built. Apple's own terms explicitly state that "increased access to such features will be available for a fee" in the future. If you want to keep using the excellent conversational assistant that just helped you organize your life, you’ll have to pay a recurring fee or buy into the elite hardware tier. Silicon Valley has spent years trying to turn physical hardware into a recurring software subscription. With iOS 27, Apple is finally doing it, and the iPhone may never be the same.
