Updated on October 25th to include details of a new developer beta in progress.
Apple Intelligence is almost here, and Apple has just confirmed exactly when it will arrive. We already knew it would be in October, but Apple announced it would be next week. And on Wednesday, October 23rd, Apple just rolled out the first developer beta of iOS 18.2.
Apple Intelligence is arriving in just a few days.
While the release of iOS 18.1 is highly anticipated, the developer beta of iOS 18.2 (which will be the next update unless there are any necessary bug fixes in the meantime) includes many new features. This may cause further agitation.
Early adopters of the new software are already commenting on their favorite features. For example, Techradar’s John-Anthony Diotto has this to say about the AI capabilities coming to the Mail app: I think the use of AI would be most appreciated by the average consumer. I’ve been using the new Mail app in iOS 18.2 developer beta for about 24 hours, and while it’s still in development, I’m starting to feel optimistic about Apple Intelligence. ”
Disotto’s enthusiasm is thanks to powerful summarization tools, new classifications, and an improved design. They worked together to clean up the “inbox clutter.” It also warns that this is a beta version of the developer and should not be installed on the main driver. I agree, early betas can be unstable and damage battery life.
I’m not sure how often I use the summarization tool, but I was impressed with how much detail it was able to capture when categorizing a series of seven messages.
This email feature is just one of many new features coming later this year, as explained below. These include Visual Intelligence, which works with camera controls on iPhone 16 series phones. If you hold down the button, your iPhone will share additional information about what the camera captures, translate signs, and recognize addresses and phone numbers. Apple says the iPhone 16 is the first designed from the ground up for Apple Intelligence, and this is just one example of that.
The upcoming updates in iOS 18.1 are interesting, but it looks like iOS 18.2 will be the most important in terms of Apple Intelligence highlights. In addition to the details listed below, this update also includes Image Wand. This uses an image generation tool to create images in notes in the Notes app, for example. For example, if you draw something using Apple Pencil on your iPad, you can turn a rough sketch into a better image.
Additionally, new details have emerged about the existence of a waiting list, a key element of Apple Intelligence. Updating to iOS 18.1 adds a new feature to the Settings app called Apple Intelligence & Siri. You can sign up for Apple Intelligence here. You will then be asked to join the waitlist, just as developers and those using the public beta had to do.
Meanwhile, the waiting list moved quickly and we waited for a full 10 minutes. Things may change once the software reaches critical mass associated with general release. However, if you’re already using the beta version of Apple Intelligence, Apple says you don’t need to wait again.
So, as Ryan Christoffel points out on 9to5Mac, this is a crafty way to overcome waiting lists. “You can join the Apple Intelligence waitlist today. How? Install the iOS 18.1 Public Beta. Apple released the iOS 18.1 RC Beta today. RC stands for Release Candidate, and the software will be available for all users next week. That means it’s likely to be the same one released to users… If you install iOS 18.1 RC, you’ll be able to join the Apple Intelligence waitlist without having to wait another day.” That means next week. You can switch to general release software without having to join the waitlist again.
iOS 18.1 release date
Next week means Monday, October 28th, Tuesday, October 29th, or Wednesday, October 30th. I believe the exact release details will be on October 28th at 10am Pacific Time.
iOS 18.1: First experience with Apple Intelligence
The first features of Apple’s Personal Intelligence System are coming soon. More features will be added in the coming months, but the first features include writing tools that will help you improve what you write. You can proofread your text, and iPhone can rewrite or summarize what you say. These tools are available across iPhone, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and some third-party apps.
Photos has a new cleanup tool that lets you remove people and things that ruin your shots, and uses multiple machine learning tools to leave your background as clean as if it never existed in the first place.
Audio recording and transcription is already possible, but iOS 18.1 adds the ability to record calls and adds automatic notifications to participants. A summary is also generated after the call ends.
Siri gets a new design that’s at the heart of the iPhone experience, making it more intuitive.
Initially, Apple Intelligence on iPhone will only work on devices with language and Siri set to US English. However, Apple has released a developer beta that extends this to other versions of English as well.
iOS 18.2 developer beta now available
A new development beta for iOS 18.2 is now available, allowing more English speakers to use Apple Intelligence, specifically English for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
We’ve also introduced more features and improved existing burning tools. You can specify what you’re looking for in the “Description of Change” element.
New features include Image Playground, which lets you create images from photos in your photo library. Save them in your new standalone app and they’ll automatically update across devices on the same Apple account.
And with iOS 18.2 comes the long-awaited Genmoji, which lets you create all-new emojis with just a text prompt. We also see integration with ChatGPT for the first time. If Siri thinks ChatGPT is useful, it will ask you if you want to connect to ChatGPT. Apple emphasizes that it has security protections in place for each request and that a ChatGPT account is not required. Visual Intelligence, which integrates with iPhone camera controls, is also included in the new beta.
Apple iOS 18.2 will be generally released in December, Apple has confirmed.
