CUPERTINO, CA – September 19, 2024 – Apple took a significant step towards making its AI platform, Apple Intelligence, more widely available with the launch of the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 public betas yesterday.
Public beta testers enrolled in Apple’s program can now experience the generative AI features that the company has been showcasing since June. However, there are some limitations. Apple Intelligence is currently only available in U.S. English and faces regulatory hurdles in the EU and China. Additionally, only users in the US with iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model can access the features at this time.
Writing Tools leverage AI technology similar to popular tools like ChatGPT. They offer functionalities beyond simple proofreading and summarizing, including rewriting text in various styles (professional, concise, or friendly). Additionally, Mail gains a Smart Reply feature, message prioritization, and automated summaries.
Siri receives a major visual overhaul. Gone is the colorful icon at the bottom of the screen, replaced by subtle illuminated borders that won’t obstruct text. Siri also shows improved understanding of user speech patterns, allowing for mid-sentence corrections. Notably, users can now type instructions to Siri instead of relying solely on voice commands.
A key future Siri feature, “product knowledge”, will allow users to ask the assistant how to perform various tasks on their devices, like screen recording or resetting an AirTag. Other advanced features like conversational context and app integration within Siri are still under development.
The Photos app sees the introduction of “Clean Up,” Apple’s answer to Google’s Magic Eraser. Users can circle unwanted objects on a photo, and the tool will automatically remove them by generating a realistic background in their place. Photo search has also been improved to understand natural language queries, and users can now generate Memories based on text prompts.
To access Apple Intelligence features, users must first opt-in by going to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Join the Apple Intelligence waitlist. Public beta programs for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS can be accessed through beta.apple.com.
Apple plans to roll out additional Apple Intelligence features later this year.
