With the release of the iPhone 16, Apple has teased the introduction of its much-anticipated Apple Intelligence features. However, these tools won’t be fully available until October, leaving users curious about how this AI-driven technology will enhance their devices. For those eager to get a head start, the public beta of iOS 18.1, which includes Apple Intelligence, is available for download, offering a glimpse into the future of AI on Apple devices. The first batch of features provides modest improvements, setting the stage for more powerful integrations down the line.
One of the initial features rolled out in the beta is Clean Up, a tool designed to remove unwanted objects from photos. Similar to Google’s Magic Eraser, this feature focuses on simplicity, making it easy for users to clean up their images with just a few taps. However, while the tool works smoothly, it lacks detailed controls and occasionally misfires. Despite these small hiccups, Clean Up gives users a useful, albeit basic, photo-editing capability.
Another feature included in the early rollout is Apple’s writing tools, which offer options to proofread, rewrite, and summarize text. These tools can enhance productivity, particularly when working on documents or emails, but they still have limitations. It’s a helpful addition, though not particularly innovative compared to other AI-driven writing aids available today.
Email summaries is another area where Apple Intelligence aims to improve daily workflows. The beta version introduces a feature that summarizes emails directly within your inbox, making it easier to scan through messages without opening each one. While this function simplifies inbox management, it feels more like an incremental upgrade than a groundbreaking change. Still, it will likely prove useful for those who deal with large volumes of emails.
Apple has also introduced improvements to Siri, featuring AI enhancements and a sleek new user interface that includes a glowing effect around the display during interactions. Users can now type queries to Siri as well as speak them, and the virtual assistant is better equipped to handle variations in speech. However, the real game-changer—allowing Siri to work across multiple apps and perform more complex tasks—hasn’t been released yet and is expected in the coming updates. These future improvements, such as leveraging personal information to provide more intuitive responses, will likely elevate Siri to the next level, but users will have to wait a bit longer to experience them.
Apple Intelligence also introduces transcription features for voice memos and phone calls. While the transcription capabilities are solid, they don’t yet surpass those offered by dedicated apps, though Apple’s offering has the advantage of being free. It also works retroactively on previously recorded voice memos, making it a handy tool for users who need to revisit older audio files.
As we look toward the future of Apple Intelligence, the most exciting features are still in development. Visual Intelligence, expected to debut later this year, will bring capabilities similar to Google Lens, allowing users to interact with images in more dynamic ways.
Perhaps even more groundbreaking is the planned ChatGPT integration, which will enable Siri and other Apple applications to handle more complex queries and tasks. With these updates set for release later in 2024 and into 2025, Apple Intelligence could transform how users interact with their devices by delivering a seamless blend of AI-driven personalization and enhanced functionality.
While the current Apple Intelligence features provide helpful, albeit modest, improvements, they are just a glimpse of what’s to come. For those who can’t wait, the public beta of iOS 18.1 offers an early opportunity to try these tools, but the real excitement lies in the future.
As more sophisticated AI features roll out in the coming months, Apple is poised to redefine the role of AI in its ecosystem, blending cutting-edge technology with its signature focus on privacy and user experience.
