Those waiting for Apple Intelligence to hit their iPhones could hold their breath a little longer. A new report alleges the first wave of generative AI features that are in tow with the iOS 18.1 update will be released to compatible iPhone models by the end of October. This is in contrast to the expected second week of the month.
Apple launched the iPhone 16 and released the iOS 18 without Apple Intelligence in September. The company confirmed the initial set of AI tools is coming with iOS 18.1, but it has not specified the exact availability.
Now, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter, Apple is scheduled to roll out the firmware on October 28, Monday. This launch window puts it more than a month from the iPhone 16 (review) series and iOS 18 release dates.
The journalist and Apple leaker added that the delay is due to Apple further ironing out these AI features, ensuring fewer bugs and that its servers will be able to handle the traffic. So, which Apple Intelligence functions are arriving first?
Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.1
Apple Intelligence is already available to developers and beta testers, meaning public users should expect the same list of features are going to be added.
Writing Tools
Namely, the update will include Writing Tools that will be integrated with messaging apps including Messages and Mail apps. This offers AI-powered rewriting and reformatting in different writing styles as well as proofreading and summarizing. There will also be a Smart Replies feature for quick quick reply suggestions.
Clean Up in Photos
Apple’s Clean Up tool will also be added to the Photos app to enhance images and remove unwanted objects from them using AI. Another new capability in Photos is support for natural language search, allowing for more specific keywords.
Reduced Interruptions and Focus Modes
iPhones will get a new focus mode enabled by AI called Reduced Interruptions. The name implies it will only show the urgent notifications coming from messages and apps. A label of “Reduced Interruptions” will appear on the lock screen if this is set.
Apart from a new focus mode, users can also apply the same filtering system to other modes through the Inteligent Breakthrough & Silencing toggle. If switched on, it works similarly to Reduced Interruptions but only tied to the selected mode.
Redesigned Siri
iOS 18.1 will also start to adopt the redesigned and enhanced Siri visuals. If the assistant is invoked, it will show a wavy and more vibrant accent around the screen. However, it should be noted that the contextual awareness-ready capabilities of Siri are not shipping here.
If you can’t wait for the stable release of iOS 18.1, and don’t mind experiencing weird bugs, you can opt to enroll in Apple’s Public Beta Program. And remember Apple Intelligence is only compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 16 models.
Do you think these Apple Intelligence features are worth the wait? Let us know in the comments.
