Apple has taken its first step into the world of AI with the release of the developer betas for iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1. These updates, introduced during WWDC 2024, feature a suite of innovations collectively known as Apple Intelligence.
What’s New with Apple Intelligence?
While the full potential of Apple Intelligence is still under wraps, the initial beta offers a glimpse into what’s to come. Here are some of the highlights:
1. Siri Enhancements:
Expect a revamped Siri with a new design, improved context understanding, and the ability to switch between text and voice interactions.
- Updated Design: Siri now boasts a glowing light that wraps around the screen edge when active, providing a visually appealing interface.
- Contextual Awareness: Siri can maintain context across multiple requests, offering a more seamless interaction experience.
- Enhanced Support: Siri can assist with device support and answer numerous questions about iPhone, iPad, and Mac functionalities.
2. Mail Improvements:
Smarter email management with features like smart replies, email summaries, and a focused inbox for urgent messages.
- Smart Reply and Summaries: New features like smart reply and email summaries streamline the email management process.
- Urgent Notifications: A new section highlights urgent emails, ensuring you never miss important messages.
3. Photos Upgrades:
Natural language search, enhanced video search, and the ability to create personalized memories are now on the table.
- Natural Language Search: Users can search for photos using natural language, making it easier to find specific images.
- Video Search: This feature allows users to locate specific moments in video clips quickly.
- Memories Creation: Apple Intelligence crafts stories from your photos and videos, arranging them into a narrative movie based on your descriptions.
4. Writing Assistance & Focus Mode
Write with Confidence: Users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps.
Reduce Interruptions: Focus mode intelligently filters notifications, prioritizing only those that require immediate action, such as a text about an early school pickup.
5. Call Recording and Transcription
Recording Feature: An AI-powered feature allows users to record and transcribe phone calls. By tapping the new “record” button in the top-left corner of the call screen, users can keep an audio log of their calls.
Transcription and Summary: Once enabled, all callers will hear a message saying, “This call will be recorded.” The Phone app will record the call and automatically create a transcription that appears in the Notes app, along with the full audio recording and an AI-generated summary.
Apple plans to introduce more advanced AI features in the future, with some major updates expected to arrive as late as 2025.
By releasing these initial features in a beta version, Apple can gather valuable feedback and refine the technology before a wider release.
Who can access Apple Intelligence features?
To access these new features, you need an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, or for iPads and Macs, a system with an Apple Silicon chip. After installing the updates, users must join a waitlist via the Settings menu on their device. A push notification will inform you when you can access the Apple Intelligence features.
What’s the difference between the public and developer betas for iOS 18?
Simultaneously with the 18.1 previews, Apple also released a second public beta for iOS 18, which includes features from recent developer betas, such as RCS support on more carriers, new CarPlay wallpapers, and dark mode widgets in light mode.
Notably, the iOS 18.1 beta is available exclusively to registered developer beta testers and only supports iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.
When can we expect to see the full range of Apple Intelligence features?
Apple plans to roll out more Apple Intelligence features, including a more powerful Siri and ChatGPT integration, gradually through 2025. This phased approach allows the company to test and refine these features, ensuring they perform optimally before a wider release.
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