iOS 18.1 arrives this week and officially launches early Apple Intelligence features on devices that can support a suite of AI-powered tools. The models Apple released this fall are the only iPhones other than the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max that can run the new features, so naturally this will lead to a number of iPhone 16 upgrades. . right?
Not exactly.
In a recent column, Bloomberg’s Mark Garman wrote, “Some analysts have even made dubious claims that Apple Intelligence is already creating an “AI consumer revolution” that will “trigger a massive holiday season.” “Apple’s AI efforts are about two years behind the world’s plans,” he said. competition. “But Apple’s AI glory is still years away. If the new iPhone is a hit this year, it will likely be thanks to everything but AI.”
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was similarly pessimistic about the Apple Intelligence-inspired sales boom, citing recent production cuts that primarily affected models other than the iPhone 16 Pro. “We believe Apple is best positioned to succeed with on-device AI, and we believe in the long-term potential of Apple Intelligence to become a popular paid service,” Kuo said in a blog post on Medium. said. “However, this AI development will require further hardware innovation to significantly increase iPhone shipments.”
It may not be the launch of Apple Intelligence that people, especially those working at Apple headquarters, dreamed of. But that’s not entirely surprising, considering that iOS 18.1 is just the first step in an Apple Intelligence rollout process that is expected to last into next year.
“Apple has made Apple Intelligence a key part of the marketing and advertising for the iPhone 16, so there should be some impact on sales once the iPhone 16 launches,” Avi Greengart of Techsponential said of the launch of Apple Intelligence. When asked if there was a possibility that Sales of iPhone 16 skyrocketed. “But there are many definitions of ‘when Apple Intelligence arrives.'”
What iOS 18.1 offers
Apple took the unusual step of releasing iOS 18.1 beta before the official release of iOS 18 because it wants to get Apple Intelligence features into the hands of developers as quickly as possible. A public beta followed in September, shortly after the iOS 18 update arrived.
iOS 18.1 does not include all Apple Intelligence features. This update includes a writing tool that works with any app that has keyboard input, including third-party products. Using writing tools, you can get proofreading suggestions, try different tones, and make your text more concise. You can also select text to get a summary. The Safari, Mail, and Notes apps have also added summarization features, allowing you to summarize audio clips and call transcripts.
In Mail, you’ll see other Apple Intelligence-inspired changes in the form of smart replies to messages and a Focused Inbox feature that brings time-bound messages to the top of your inbox. Instead of displaying the first few sentences of a message, you’ll now see a two-line summary in your inbox. Notifications are also supposed to be summarized, but in my experience using iOS 18.1 since September, that particular feature hasn’t shown up much.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of Apple Intelligence is Photos, where you can now search for photos and videos in your library using natural language search. (This feature also seems to work to some extent on phones running iOS 18.1 beta, which don’t necessarily support Apple Intelligence, like my iPhone 12.) Use text prompts to select photos and You can create memory movie slideshows of your videos. The Cleanup tool also mimics Google’s Magic Eraser feature, allowing you to remove unwanted objects from your photos with just a tap.
Siri is also getting its first complete overhaul as part of Apple Intelligence. When you summon Siri, the entire screen flashes, and you can even interrupt the assistant or correct yourself mid-request. Siri has a broader understanding of Apple products, making it a great troubleshooting resource. Apple Intelligence also has the ability to type into Siri.
“Even these Apple Intelligence features feel like improvements to existing features spread across the OS and don’t fundamentally change the way you use your phone.”
— Avi Greengart, Techsponential
These are all improvements, some of which are further along, others of which are improvements. But they’re not exactly reinventing what the iPhone offers. “Even these Apple Intelligence features feel like improvements to existing features spread across the OS and don’t fundamentally change the way you use your phone,” Greengart said.
That’s certainly my impression using iOS 18.1. It has some very well-implemented features, such as writing tools that allow you to transform text into more formal sentences, perfect for perfecting your cover letter. But other tools feel like they need further refinement over time. The first burst of Apple Intelligence features is certainly reason enough to upgrade your phone.
What this means for iPhone 16
But this is not a criticism of the iPhone 16 lineup, which offers a lot of upgrade incentives without considering Apple Intelligence. First, the iPhone 16 comes with premium features like camera control buttons and the new A18 chipset, so it no longer feels like an afterthought to the Pro model. All iPhone 16 models last longer on a single charge, and camera improvements in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max keep Apple’s phones at the top when it comes to the best camera phones. Masu.
So, in that context, Apple Intelligence is more of a nice add-on to all the changes Apple has made to the iPhone lineup, rather than the sole driver of upgrades.
This assessment is in line with IDC’s forecast for iPhone sales during the holiday quarter ending 2024. “We expect pretty healthy growth for Apple in the fourth quarter from upgraders, upgraders who have reached the end of their typical three- to four-year lifecycle.” Now 13, 12, or earlier older iPhone models,” said Nabila Popal, senior research director at IDC.
“Growth from Apple Intelligence will come next year, with Apple’s growth rate expected to be close to 5% year over year in 2025,” he added. “We expect consumer awareness of Apple Intelligence to grow, use cases to increase, and additional language support to be rolled out by then.”
What’s next for Apple Intelligence?
With iOS 18.1 hitting phones next week, all eyes will inevitably turn to iOS 18.2, which has already been released in beta for developers. A public beta version will also be available soon.
iOS 18.2 adds more Apple Intelligence features, including Visual Intelligence exclusive to iPhone 16. Features like this Google Lens allow you to point your iPhone’s camera at anything and extract information. Examples Apple gave when it previewed the feature in September included identifying dog breeds and getting event information from concert posters.
Other iOS 18.2 additions include Image Playground, Apple’s attempt to create images using generative AI. This includes the long-awaited Genmoji feature, which lets you custom create emojis using text prompts. As Apple continues to fine-tune its digital assistant, ChatGPT will also be integrated into Siri responses.
These are great additions to the iPhone experience, and we’re excited to try them out. But as iOS 18.1’s additions are now hitting smartphones, it’s unlikely to cause the iPhone 16 surge that some are hoping for.
So what happens? Techsponential’s Greengart said Apple’s immediate challenge is to show that “even with the limited version of Apple Intelligence built into today’s software, you can do useful and interesting things that you couldn’t do before.” I think the outline is the most obvious change.
In the long run, “Apple will be able to protect its privacy and crossroads before rivals with better-performing AI models find ways to leverage (and monetize) its technology, reducing Apple’s ecosystem benefits.” They need to leverage the functionality of the app to take actions on behalf of the user.” Greengart said.
IDC’s Popal believes Siri is key. “The most exciting use case for me, and for more users, is for Siri to act as a ‘human-like’ digital assistant that can perform multiple tasks on your behalf and converse with you in a more ‘human’ way.” It will be when I can. ’” she said. “I believe this is the direction Apple will focus on over the next few years to encourage consumers to upgrade early.”
