iOS 18.1 Public Beta is Live — Here are the Apple Intelligence Features Available

Apple’s AI revolution begins: Apple has released the public beta for iOS 18.1, introducing a suite of Apple Intelligence features that leverage artificial intelligence to enhance user experience across various applications.

Compatibility and availability: The new AI-powered capabilities are currently limited to iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models, with future expansion planned for all iPhone 16 devices.

• Public betas for iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 are also available, offering Apple Intelligence features on compatible tablets and computers.
• Apple Intelligence is launching initially in the United States, with plans to expand to other English-speaking countries by the end of the year and additional languages in 2025.

Writing assistance and productivity: Apple Intelligence introduces a range of writing tools designed to improve user productivity and communication.

• A rewrite feature allows users to create different versions of their text, catering to various writing styles and purposes.
• Tone suggestions help users tailor their writing for specific audiences, enhancing the effectiveness of their communication.
• Proofreading capabilities detect and correct spelling and grammar errors, ensuring polished written content.
• A summarization tool condenses lengthy texts, saving time for users who need to quickly grasp key information.

Enhanced photo management and creation: The new features extend to the Photos app, offering innovative ways to interact with and manipulate images.

• The Photos Clean Up tool enables users to remove unwanted objects or people from images and automatically fill in the background, providing greater control over photo composition.
• Movie Memory creation allows users to generate video content from text prompts, opening up new possibilities for creative expression.
• Natural language search functionality in the Photos app makes it easier for users to find specific images based on descriptive queries.

Siri upgrades: Apple’s virtual assistant receives significant improvements, both in appearance and functionality.

• Siri now features a new visual design with a glowing screen effect, enhancing the user interface.
• The assistant demonstrates improved understanding of user requests and context, leading to more accurate and helpful responses.
• Users can now type requests to Siri, providing an alternative input method for those who prefer text-based interaction.
• Siri’s knowledge base has been expanded, particularly in product-related information, making it a more comprehensive resource for users.

Mail enhancements: The Mail app benefits from several AI-powered features to improve email management and communication.

• Message summarization in the inbox provides quick overviews of email content, allowing users to prioritize their attention more effectively.
• A priority messages feature highlights time-sensitive emails, ensuring important communications are not overlooked.
• Smart replies offer context-aware response options for specific questions, streamlining the email reply process.

Additional AI-powered features: Apple Intelligence extends its capabilities to other areas of the iOS experience.

• Audio recordings from phone calls and voice memos can now be automatically summarized, saving time for users who need to review lengthy audio content.

Accessing the beta: Users interested in testing these new features can join Apple’s beta program through a straightforward process.

• Enrollment in Apple’s beta program is required to access the new features.
• The beta can be downloaded from the Software Updates section in the Settings app.
• Users must select “Join the Apple Intelligence Waitlist” in the Apple Intelligence & Siri settings to activate the new AI features.

Looking ahead: As Apple rolls out its AI-powered features, the tech landscape is poised for significant changes in user interaction and device capabilities.

• The introduction of Apple Intelligence marks a major step in the company’s AI strategy, potentially reshaping the competitive dynamics in the smartphone and personal computing markets.
• As these features evolve and expand to more devices and regions, they may set new standards for AI integration in consumer technology, influencing user expectations and industry trends.