Apple to Offer ChatGPT Plus Upgrades Directly in iOS Settings App
Apple is adding a ChatGPT Plus subscription option directly inside the iOS 18.2 Settings app, giving OpenAI valuable exposure instead of a direct financial payout. The unusual partnership leaves questions about revenue sharing as OpenAI faces high inference costs from potential free user growth.
Apple prepares to launch iOS 18.2 in December with a deep ChatGPT integration, and beta testers discover a new way to subscribe to the premium service. The Settings app now includes an option to upgrade to ChatGPT Plus for $20 a month. This direct pathway gives Apple users an easy route to bypass the limitations of the free tier, which restricts access to the latest models, limits daily image generation, and caps message counts.
The integration highlights a unique financial arrangement between the two tech giants. Apple reportedly does not pay OpenAI cash for the partnership, opting instead to trade access to its massive user base for exposure. This strategy proves highly profitable for OpenAI only if a significant number of users convert to paid subscribers, as a flood of free users drives up expensive AI inference costs.
Questions remain about whether Apple takes a cut of these subscription revenues or simply relies on advanced AI to drive new iPhone sales. The deal is further complicated by Apple's non-exclusive approach, with plans to integrate models from other developers like Google Gemini. Meanwhile, OpenAI navigates internal turbulence, losing key executives and reportedly missing out on Apple's participation in its recent $6.6 billion funding round.