Apple has finally unveiled its highly anticipated artificial intelligence (AI) tools for iPhone users, but only to a select few. The Apple Intelligence suite, which was announced back in June, has now been made available to owners of certain iPhone models worldwide.
The new features include notification summaries, tools to assist with messaging, and a revamped interface for virtual assistant Siri. However, these features are only accessible to users with the latest devices, such as the iPhone 16 models, and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Apple Intelligence is also compatible with Mac computers and iPad tablets powered by the company’s latest chips.
Despite the excitement surrounding the release, some users may be disappointed to find that certain tools are arriving later than equivalent features on other popular devices. Apple CEO Tim Cook described the public release of the AI tools as marking “a new era” for the company’s products.
In a move to ensure the security of its AI software, Apple announced a bounty of up to $1 million for ethical hackers who can identify vulnerabilities. The features released in the iOS 18.1 update are just the beginning, with more AI tools expected to roll out later this year, including the ability to generate images and emoji from text prompts.
While Apple may be late to the game compared to competitors like Google and Samsung, who have already integrated AI features into their devices, the company is focused on delivering a high-quality user experience. Samsung, for example, has expanded its Galaxy AI features to include S22 devices released in 2022, with plans to reach over 100 million users by 2024.
Apple’s new Clean Up tool, which allows users to remove unwanted objects from images, follows in the footsteps of Google’s Magic Eraser tool. Despite not being the first to introduce AI features, Tim Cook has expressed the company’s commitment to delivering top-notch technology, stating that “it takes a while to get it really great.”
