Apple launches Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.1 developers beta, not available to the general public yet

After months of speculations on how Apple’s upcoming Apple Intelligence features for its device lineup might look like, we finally have a sneak preview, and it seems that the rumours about delays in Apple’s new AI technology, Apple Intelligence, seem to be overstated.

Apple’s generative AI, which is expected to be a major feature across iPhones, iPads, and Macs this year, is being introduced today in an early form through developer betas for iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.

This early access gives developers a preview of Apple’s promised generative features, suggesting that some parts of Apple Intelligence will be included with the highly anticipated iPhone 16.

Apple is releasing iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS 15.1 dev betas to developers and compatible devices, helping them get a grasp on the new AI capabilities. This comes shortly after Bloomberg reported potential delays that raised concerns about whether Apple Intelligence would be ready for the iPhone 16 launch.

Now, it appears that the new iPhone will almost certainly include some of these AI features.

Do note that users will need to be enrolled in the developer’s program in order to access Apple Intelligence. For now, the AI features are not available to regular users.

Apple Intelligence is expected to bring advanced functionalities like writing assistance, natural language search, context retention in Siri, creation of memory movies based on prompts, and transcription summaries. However, not all of these features will be available in the initial preview. For now, only iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPads and Macs with at least M1 chips will be able to access Apple Intelligence features in the new dev betas, and it will be limited to English-language (US) systems.

One notable update includes a significant redesign of Siri, featuring a new look and functionality such as a double-tap at the bottom of the screen for text input to Siri and the ability to maintain context across multiple queries. Currently, Apple’s AI features are not available in the EU or China.

Developers can experiment with the generative writing tools in existing Apple apps, allowing for text rewriting and summarization in emails, along with smart replies and natural language search capabilities in the Photos app. Users can also create movie memories using predefined and custom prompts.

Several features, such as Genmoji creation, image generation, Photo Clean Up, and ChatGPT integration, will not be included in these initial dev betas. Unlike public betas, developer betas are not intended for general use and should not be installed on primary devices.

However, previews of Apple Intelligence will soon be available, providing a glimpse of the new Writing Tools Box, the Type to Siri keyboard, and text-based responses from Siri.

Developers will need to go to the settings app and find the “Apple Intelligence & Siri” option to join a waitlist. After joining, they will receive a notification when the features are activated.

This phased rollout is likely a way for Apple to manage the load on its new Private Compute Cloud, which will handle complex generative queries that are too demanding for on-device processing.

This gradual introduction of Apple Intelligence is crucial for Apple as it aims to compete in the generative AI space, where companies like Google and Samsung already have a substantial lead. Users have been enjoying generative AI features on Pixel phones for months and Samsung’s Galaxy AI since its launch in January, with further improvements seen on the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

As for when Apple Intelligence will be available in iOS 18 public betas, no specific timeline has been provided by Apple. It is expected to arrive sometime in the fall, which could be anytime from September to late December. It is hoped that the features will be ready in time for the anticipated September launch of the iPhone 16.