2 months ago
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I mentioned in my iPhone 16/16 Pro reviews that there’s been an air of general grievance around the launch of the devices. Apple made a big to-do about Apple Intelligence taking the reins forward for its walled garden ecosystem. But there’s little about the new iPhone that screams, “It’s got AI!” beyond some helpful features, like writing tools and mail summaries.
There are more Apple Intelligence features on the way. The company has opted for a slow release, ensuring that what it’s pushing out works before it hits devices. Over the weekend, Bloomberg’s PowerOn newsletter reported details on the update schedule. iOS 18.1 is slated to launch next. It’s the version currently in public beta, though it’s already been through four beta tests. It features the revamped Control Center and Type to Siri capabilities. It’s looking like it will hit sometime next month.
iOS 18.2 will be the significant Apple Intelligence dump. That update features Genmoji, ChatGPT integration, and the highly anticipated Image Playground, the AI feature that resembles what’s happening with Apple’s competitors, namely Google’s Gemini and Samsung’s Galaxy AI. That’s also the one that will prioritize notifications rather than merely summarizing them. iOS 18.2 is expected to be released by December, just before the holidays.
iOS 18.3 is the big kahuna update for Siri and Apple Intelligence. There isn’t much listed about what that update includes, but it seems to be the one that will unlock Siri’s total capacity, including on-screen awareness and personal context. This version won’t see the light of day until at least January. That means it will be three months after the launch of the iPhone 16 that the devices will get the Apple Intelligence features that scream, “This is AI.”
The most significant AI-infused iOS update will come next year. That’s iOS 18.4, which was initially going to include all the AI-enhanced Siri features. But with all the fan dismay over the delay, Apple may be switching gears to get it out sooner, hence the Bloomberg report about a January launch.
For now, Siri’s biggest AI infusion will come through iOS 18.1 in October. You’ll see a screen that lights up around the edges of the iPhone to indicate the digital assistant is activated. It’s more sensitive, too. Simply saying “Siri” will activate the phone and start the conversation. And it’s a conversation, rather than feeling like you’re saying an input command out loud, step by step. This version of Siri is also the one to handle the “umms” and other mess-ups you might stumble upon as you’re querying it out loud.
I can understand why it’s frustrating that Apple didn’t come out of the gate with Apple Intelligence. But as I said in my review, the company is smarter for spinning it in a way that makes it seem the delays are due to ensuring quality. As an Android user who does feel scorned by Gemini each time I attempt to use it, iOS users should thank their lucky stars it’s still Siri at the helm taking questions and commands and doling out answers.
