Apple Unveils iOS 18.2 with AI-Powered Features
Apple has finally released the AI-powered version of its latest mobile operating system, iOS 18.2, to its public beta users. This update includes several new features that were previously only available to developers, such as an AI emoji generator app called Genmoji, an Image Playground AI image app, ChatGPT integration with Siri, and visual search using the iPhone 16 cameras.
What’s New in iOS 18.2
The release of iOS 18.2 brings a host of exciting new features to users. One of the most notable is the introduction of Apple Intelligence, which can be abbreviated as ‘AI’ for short. This large language model-driven technology promises to revolutionize the way users interact with their devices.
Apple Intelligence: The Future of AI on iPhone
Collectively, the AI features and tools coming to the new iPhone 16 and other supported devices are known as Apple Intelligence. With this technology, users can expect a smarter Siri, writing and proofreading assistance across apps, and image generation capabilities.
Third-Party Developers Can Now Take Advantage of Apple Intelligence Features
Third-party developers will also be able to take advantage of Apple Intelligence features in their own apps. This could ultimately prove to be Apple Intelligence’s most useful offering if widely adopted.
Example Use Cases for Apple Intelligence
For instance, users can ask Siri to show them information from inside their apps or take action on something that appears on their screen. At Apple’s developer conference in June, the company said its AI technology would first be made available to specific categories of apps, including:
- Books
- Browsers
- Cameras
- Document readers
- File management
- Journals
- Photos
- Presentations
- Spreadsheets
- Whiteboards
- Word processors
Trying Out the New Features
Users will most likely want to try out the features involving ChatGPT and image creation. Image Playground introduces a standalone image-generation app where you can create new images via prompts. Genmoji offers a similar system for creating custom emojis.
ChatGPT Integration with Siri
With Siri, users can enable a new ChatGPT extension that gives Apple’s virtual assistant an expanded set of capabilities. For instance, you’ll be able to ask ChatGPT to help you write text, answer questions, create images, and more. If signed in, it can keep a history of your requests.
iPhone 16 Users Can Now Press the New Camera Control Button
iPhone 16 users can also press the new Camera Control button to launch Visual Intelligence, a way to search and identify real-world objects and places through the camera lens.
Waitlist Required for Some Features
Unfortunately for those who were itching to try Apple Intelligence, a waitlist for some features is still required. Apple has not said how long users will have to wait before gaining access, but it could be days or even weeks during this beta period.
Why the Waitlist?
The reason for the waitlist is due to AI safety concerns. Users are already designing NSFW emoji with Genmoji, for example. The waitlist also gives Apple time to safely scale the features to its users.
What’s Next for Apple Intelligence?
Ahead of the iOS 18.2 release, Apple launched AI features including Writing Tools and notification summaries powered by Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.1, as well as debuted the new look for Siri, where notification summaries will indicate if they were generated with AI.
Conclusion
The release of iOS 18.2 marks a significant step forward for Apple’s AI-powered technology. With Apple Intelligence, users can expect a more intuitive and personalized experience on their devices.
