As expected, Apple released iOS 18.1, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16, but also iPadOS 18.1 for iPads with a minimum M1 chip. This update marks the first major step in integrating in-house generative AI, delivering a new experience around Siri (pending its revolution next year) and a range of additional capabilities powered by machine learning on the device and large language models. But, as you might expect, not everyone is entitled to it.
A very important update
This update is therefore described as the “first wave” of Apple Intelligence features. New features include improved writing tools for rewriting, summarizing and proofreading text, as well as a new Siri user interface. Users can also expect notification summaries for various apps, including Messages and Mail, as well as a new “Eraser” tool in the Photos app, which helps remove unwanted elements from images using of generative AI.
However, some of the more advanced features of Apple Intelligence will roll out in later updates. iOS 18.2, expected in December, will introduce support for ChatGPT, Image Playground and Genmoji for creating custom emoji. The complete overhaul of Siri, which promises more precise control of apps and personalized responses taking into account context, is planned for early 2025.
After the Americans, the first part of AI tools will soon be the English-speaking countries, then in 2025, the Europeans. Suffice to say that the new Siri will not be available in France for a while.
In addition to AI, users will find some significant developments such as the recording of phone calls or the detection of sleep apnea for recent Apple Watches.
The app Pictures also benefits from a natural language search for precise searches in photos and videos, as well as an editing tool to remove unwanted elements. The function Memories allows users to create movies from photos and videos based on described themes.
The list of new features of iOS 18.1
Here are the main new features of the iOS 18.1 update, some of which are not related to AI (and therefore available to the rest of us):
- New buttons in Control Center : Separate buttons for Satellite And AirDrop have been added for quicker access.
- Reset Control Center : Users can now reset the custom Control Center layout to its default state with a single click.
- Selfies with Camera Control : Users can switch to the front camera by swiping the Camera Control button, without touching the screen.
- Sharing Apple Music songs on TikTok : The pieces ofApple Music can now be shared directly on TikTok.
- Sleep apnea detection : THE Apple Watch Series 10 And Ultra 2 can detect sleep apnea and breathing disorders, with alerts after collecting 10 days of data.
- Correction and rewriting of text : A new function of Correction of writings offers suggestions for spelling and grammar, while the tool Rewrite allows you to change the tone of your messages.
- Summary of long emails : A new feature summarizes long emails to help prioritize responses.
- Siri for Apple product assistance : Siri can now answer questions on Apple devices, locate settings, and provide tutorials.
- Smart responses : iOS 18.1 offers contextually tailored replies for emails and messages, simplifying communication.
- Summary of group discussions : Summarizes group message notifications directly on the lock screen to avoid notification overload.
- Souvenir films : The function Memory Movie automatically creates small movies from photos and music based on a brief description.
- Removing objects from photos : The tool Eraser makes it easy to remove unwanted objects from images with just a few clicks.
- Summary of audio transcriptions : Long recordings can now be transcribed and summarized for easier review.
- Reduced interruptions : A new feature of the Focus Mode intelligently filters notifications, showing only the most important ones.
- Call recording : Users can now record phone calls, with the recordings stored within the app Notesincluding transcriptions and summaries.
- Summary of web articles : Safari reader mode now allows you to summarize long web articles.
- Apple Intelligence Reports : Users can export a report of Apple Intelligence activity on their device to understand how AI is improving their experience.
Privacy protection according to Apple
Apple prides itself far superior privacy protection:
Designed to protect user privacy at every step, Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing, meaning many of the models that power it run entirely on the device. For queries requiring greater processing power, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of Apple devices to the cloud to unlock even more intelligence. When using Private Cloud Compute, user data is never stored or shared with Apple; they are only used to respond to their request. For the first time in the industry, independent experts can inspect the code running on Apple’s silicon servers to continuously verify this privacy promise – an extraordinary advancement for privacy in AI.
Users can choose whether or not to enable ChatGPT integration, which is available as part of using Siri, writing tools, or visual intelligence with Camera Control. Users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and privacy protections are built in – their IP addresses are masked and OpenAI does not store queries. For those who choose to connect their account, OpenAI’s data use policies apply.
How to download iOS 18.1
It’s up to you now, the update is free and available now from the application Settings of your device. Go to “General” -> “Software Update”.
Remember to make a backup just beforehand, you never know what could (badly) go wrong.
Give us your feedback in the comments.
