Apple has positioned its latest technology offering, Apple Intelligence, as a key feature in its current product lineup, prominently highlighted in marketing materials for the new iPhone models released in the second half of 2024. The emphasis on Apple Intelligence reflects a significant point of focus for the company this year.
Apple Intelligence is available for users who possess compatible devices, specifically requiring an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any model from the iPhone 16 series. To utilise this feature, users must also be operating on iOS 18.1 or a later version, as Apple has been rolling out these functionalities in stages. Additional features will be integrated across various iOS updates anticipated throughout 2025.
Compatible devices extend beyond iPhones, encompassing any Apple silicon-based Mac or iPad, as well as the A17 Pro iPad mini, all of which must be running macOS 15.1 or iPadOS 18.1 or later. Furthermore, Apple has set specific language requirements for enabling Apple Intelligence. Current supported languages include several variants of English—namely English (Australia), English (Canada), English (Ireland), English (New Zealand), English (South Africa), English (UK), and English (US)—with plans to introduce more languages in the upcoming year.
Activating Apple Intelligence involves a straightforward process. Users need to navigate to the Settings menu (or System Settings on Mac), select Apple Intelligence & Siri, and follow prompts to initiate the download of necessary models tailored to their chosen language. The size of this download is significant, often spanning several gigabytes, and may take longer on slower internet connections.
A noteworthy addition to Apple Intelligence with the recent iOS 18.2 update is the integration of ChatGPT. This feature can be accessed via Siri, Writing Tools, and Visual Intelligence. Users can enable this by going to Settings, then Apple Intelligence & Siri, and locating the ChatGPT menu found under the “Extensions” heading.
Once enabled, users can explore a variety of features that facilitate enhanced interaction with their devices. Automatic functions include notification summaries, which streamline related notifications into concise summaries, and Mail summaries, which highlight key points from longer emails in the Primary inbox.
Among the interactive features introduced with Apple Intelligence are:
Writing Tools: Accessible above the keyboard, this function enables users to utilise options like proofreading, rewriting, summarising, and text composition, the latter relying on ChatGPT.
Image Playground: This standalone app enables users to generate images based on prompts, providing options for illustration or animation, and allowing the transformation of personal photos into unique illustrations.
Genmoji: New to the emoji keyboard, this tool allows the creation of custom emojis, which are then stored for use across all devices.
Image Wand: This feature, found within the Notes application, enhances sketches by converting them into professional-looking illustrations based on user descriptions.
Visual Intelligence: Exclusive to the iPhone 16 models, this feature enables users to interact with the camera's view, providing information and context about objects such as street signs or restaurants.
As Apple continues to develop and expand Apple Intelligence, further updates and features are expected to be rolled out, reflecting the company’s ongoing investment in advanced technology and user experience enhancement.
Source: Noah Wire Services