Recent speculation has given us the best idea yet of how much Apple Intelligence could cost if Apple decides to lock some features behind a subscription.

Last month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple Intelligence may be free initially, but there are long-term plans to implement "Apple Intelligence+" with additional features for which users would have to pay a monthly fee. Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research, said in a recent interview with CNBC that Apple wants to pass on the cost of AI development to customers.

Shah told CNBC that "the software and services make it more advantageous for Apple to pass it on with the Apple One subscription model." For reference, Apple One currently costs $19.95 and offers access to Apple Arcade and Apple TV, along with other features.

Shah speculated that Apple might add $10 or $20 for Apple Intelligence. At this point, however, that price range is only speculation.

One of the problems Apple will face in introducing subscriptions is that most iPhones do not run Apple Intelligence. This means that only users with either the iPhone 15 pro series or the eventual iPhone 16 series will actually have to pay. Apple is probably hoping that it can convince enough people to upgrade to cover the eventual cost. But Apple is not alone in planning to lock certain features behind a subscription model.

Google has also locked some Gemini features into its Google One subscription plan, which could be a model for how Apple approaches paid Apple Intelligence.

While we don't know what the subscription features will look like, Apple Intelligence has a lot to offer. The biggest enhancements that have been announced are focused on Siri. Apple has stated that the finished version of the new app will allow Siri to maintain the context of a conversation and recognize what is happening on the screen. However, some frustrations remain with Siri's usability in the current beta version.

As noted above, Apple is not the first to charge for certain AI features, and Apple is well known for its relatively fair pricing of subscription services. However, this may be a bad deal for those who are already paying a lot of money to buy a new phone in order to use those features in the first place.

For all the new AI features and more, check out our breakdown of Apple's 2024 WWDC presentation and all the news and rumors we heard at the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro hub.