Apple Intelligence debuts with limited features, more to come in December

Apple Intelligence is available in English (US) for iPhone, Mac, and iPad with iOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1, and iPadOS 18.1 updates, respectively

Apple has started rolling out its first set of Apple Intelligence features for iPhone, iPad, and Mac with the release of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, respectively. Available in English (US), these intelligence features enable system-wide writing tools, a revamped Siri assistant with support for natural and conversational capabilities, an enhanced Photos app, and more.

 

“Apple Intelligence introduces a new era for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, delivering brand-new experiences and tools that will transform what our users can accomplish,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.

 

“Apple Intelligence unlocks exciting new capabilities that make your iPhone, iPad, and Mac even more helpful and useful, from writing tools to help refine your writing, to summarised notifications that surface what’s most important, to the ability to search for almost anything in your photos and videos by simply describing it,” stated Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering.

Apple Intelligence: Availability

Apple Intelligence is currently available in English (US), with support for more languages coming soon. In December, Apple Intelligence will be available for localised English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK.

 

Apple confirmed that the rollout will continue throughout the next year, starting from April, when a software update will deliver expanded language support. Additionally, Apple confirmed support for English (India), alongside Chinese, English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and more.

Apple Intelligence: What’s Available in the First Set of Features

Writing Tools: 

Apple's generative intelligence-powered writing tools have been deeply integrated into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, providing features for rewriting, proofreading, and summarising. These options are integrated into native apps such as Mail, Messages, Notes, Pages, and even third-party apps.

 

Revamped Siri: 

With Apple Intelligence, Siri now has more natural and flexible conversational capabilities and is better integrated into the device’s system experience. Siri on iPhones features a new interface with a glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen. On Macs, users can place Siri anywhere on their desktop for easy access. Siri can now also answer queries related to features and settings of Apple products. Users can type to Siri on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, switching seamlessly between text and voice.

 

Photos App: 

The Photos app has received a natural language search option, enabling users to search for anything by simply describing it. This feature works across videos as well. Additionally, a new Clean Up tool allows users to eliminate unwanted objects from an image. The updated Memories feature lets users generate videos by typing in a description, using images and videos from their gallery.

 

Productivity Features: 

In the Mail app, there is a new Priority Messages section that organises and displays messages requiring urgent attention. Users can also see summaries of emails without opening them.

 

Apple has also introduced Notification Summaries, which offer a glance view for stacked notifications, and a new Focus mode that displays only notifications requiring immediate attention.

 

Furthermore, in the Notes and Phone apps, users can now record, transcribe, and summarise audio.

Apple Intelligence: What’s Coming Later This Year

Apple has announced that more intelligence features will be available in December, with additional capabilities rolling out in the coming months. This will include advanced features such as the Image Playground app for image generation, system-wide ChatGPT integration, and enhanced writing tools.

 

Apple Intelligence: Eligible Devices

 

Apple Intelligence is available for the following devices:

• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 16 series
• iPad Air (M1 and later, starting with the 2022 model)
• iPad Pro (M1 and later, starting with the 2021 model)
• MacBook Air (M1 and later)
• MacBook Pro (M1 and later)
• iMac (M1 and later)
• Mac mini (M1 and later)
• Mac Studio (M1 Max and later)
• Mac Pro (M2 Ultra)