Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has unveiled the first set of features for its new artificial intelligence system, Apple Intelligence, in the iOS 18.1 developer beta, ahead of its upcoming Q3 earnings.
What Happened: Apple has launched new betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 for developers, showcasing the first Apple Intelligence features. The AI system was initially previewed in June at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC.)
While the rollout has begun, not all Apple Intelligence features are currently available. It's also worth noting that these are developer beta releases and not public betas, so they are likely to be more unstable.
The iPhone-maker is using these developer betas to refine, debug, and polish the new Apple Intelligence features before launch. The features missing in the developer beta are expected to roll out later this year.
Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Among the active features in the beta are Writing Tools for summaries and other features accessible via Apple Intelligence, a Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that filters out non-essential notifications, and a phone call recording feature available in iOS 18.1.
Developers upgrading to iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1 will need to join the Apple Intelligence waitlist to ensure smooth downloads and prevent system overload. The waitlist operates on a per-account basis, allowing access on multiple devices after a single sign-up.
Apple Intelligence is currently only available in U.S. English and is not available to developers in the European Union or China. The AI system will not be part of the initial iOS 18 launch in September, but will be introduced in a separate iOS 18.1 update expected a few weeks after iOS 18 debuts.
Why It Matters: Apple's journey with AI has been a topic of interest for a while. In July, Apple was reported to be planning to integrate its A18 chip into its upcoming entry-level iPhones and iPads to make them capable of running Apple Intelligence.
However, the upcoming iPhone 16 series will not include the new AI features on debut – Apple will instead add them via a software update weeks later.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.
- Apple's AI Models Trained On Google's Custom Chips, Not Nvidia's: Report
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Apple