Apple released iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 betas for developers yesterday, introducing an early version of Apple Intelligence. Not all of the Apple Intelligence features are implemented yet, but we thought we'd go through what's available and see just what kind of changes AI will bring to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
With Apple Intelligence, you can use Writing Tools to proofread text for spelling and grammar errors, or rewrite what you've written to change the tone. There are also options for summarizing any text, and Writing Tools are available across the operating system. You can use them anywhere you can write text.
Siri has a new design with a glow around the edges of the display when active, and there is a Type to Siri option so you don't need to talk to Siri. Siri is able to maintain context between requests and follow along if you stumble over words, plus Siri can answer all kinds of questions about your devices thanks to the integration of Apple's product knowledge and support database.
Phone calls can be recorded, transcribed, and summarized, there are Smart Replies for Mail and Messages, Photos has a Memory Maker feature, and there's a Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that intelligently filters out notifications you don't need to see right away.
If you want a more in-depth rundown of all of the features that are available, we have a dedicated guide that highlights what's in the beta now. There are several Apple Intelligence features coming later, including Image Playground, Genmoji, ChatGPT integration, and the smarter version of Siri that has onscreen awareness and can do more in and across apps. You won't find these features in the current iOS 18.1 beta, but Apple plans to roll them out across 2024 and 2025.
Apple Intelligence is limited to developers at the current time, with Apple working to refine the Apple Intelligence features and eliminate bugs. A beta version of Apple Intelligence will be available for all users later this fall, after iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia launch. You will need an iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max or later or an Apple silicon Mac or iPad to use Apple Intelligence due to the processor requirements.
