Apple has released the iOS 18.1 developer beta, introducing a suite of new AI features under the banner of Apple Intelligence. This update promises to enhance user experience with advanced capabilities in Siri, writing tools, and more, but is limited to specific devices.
Key Takeaways
- Apple Intelligence features are available in the iOS 18.1 developer beta.
- Only certain devices, such as iPhone 15 Pro and newer, support these features.
- New AI capabilities include improved Siri, writing tools, and more.
Apple Intelligence: A New Era for Siri
The iOS 18.1 beta marks the beginning of a new era for Siri, featuring a revamped design and enhanced capabilities. Siri now appears as a glowing light around the entire display, replacing the previous floating orb. This new design is available on iPhone and iPad, while Mac users will see a more constrained look in the top-right corner.
Enhanced Context and Flexibility
Siri is now better at maintaining context between requests. For example, if you ask about a sports team’s game time and follow up with a question about the team’s pitcher, Siri will understand the context without needing additional information. The assistant is also more forgiving when users misspeak or change their minds mid-request.
Typing Mode and Product Knowledge
A new feature allows users to invoke Siri in typing mode by double-tapping the Home bar, making it easier to interact with Siri in any app. Additionally, Siri has been trained on a model that includes Apple support documentation, making it an expert on Apple products and software features.
Writing Tools and Smart Replies
Apple Intelligence introduces advanced writing tools that can rewrite, spellcheck, grammar check, and summarize text in various apps like Messages, Notes, Mail, and Pages. Smart replies are also available in Mail and Messages, offering quick, context-aware responses.
Privacy and On-Device Processing
Apple Intelligence is designed with privacy in mind. It uses on-device processing to handle personal information without collecting it. For more complex tasks, Apple employs Private Cloud Compute, ensuring that data is never stored and is used only for specific requests.
Device Compatibility
The new AI features are limited to specific devices. To use Apple Intelligence, you need:
- iPhone 15 Pro or newer
- iPads with M1 chip or later
- Macs with M1 chip or later
Older devices will not support these features, as they require the processing power of Apple’s latest hardware.
Future Updates and Features
While the current beta includes several new features, some capabilities like ChatGPT integration, Image Playground, and advanced Siri functionalities will be rolled out over time. Apple plans to release regular updates to expand the range of available features.
Conclusion
The iOS 18.1 developer beta offers a glimpse into the future of Apple devices with its new AI capabilities. While the features are currently limited to specific devices, they promise to significantly enhance user experience through improved Siri interactions, advanced writing tools, and robust privacy measures.
Sources
- Apple Intelligence Now Available in New iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia Developer Betas – MacRumors, MacRumors.
- iOS 18.1 with Apple Intelligence only available for specific devices, 9to5Mac.
- This is the new Siri with Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.1 beta 1 – 9to5Mac, 9to5Mac.
- Apple Intelligence Preview – Apple, Apple.
- iOS 18.1 update: Every iPhone model that will support Apple’s new AI features (for now) | ZDNET, ZDNET.