Apple Introduces Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.1 Dev Beta: Key Features and Important Limitations to Consider

Users who have enrolled in the iOS 18 developer beta can now experience the first wave of features from Apple Intelligence, following an update released on Monday. Apple first introduced Apple Intelligence during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, but the initial beta versions lacked any of its AI capabilities.

Usage Limitations

The launch of iOS 18.1 brings a limited rollout for the Apple Intelligence features. In June, Apple specified that users with the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and M1-equipped iPads and Macs could access these features in beta, provided their device language was set to U.S. English.

However, testing reveals that users must also set their device region to the U.S. This adjustment does not alter your App Store region.

To unlock Apple Intelligence features, users need to tap on “Join Waitlist” under the new "Apple Intelligence & Siri" menu in the Settings app. A notification will alert you when access is granted, though downloading the AI suite's models may take some time, and not all features will be immediately available.

Features

Apple is rolling out a fresh animation for Siri, allowing users to invoke the assistant with text prompts by double-tapping on the bottom bar. Enhanced writing tools are also included, enabling users to proofread or rewrite text. You can adjust the tone of your writing with three options: "Friendly," "Professional," and "Concise." These tools can transform text into lists, summarize content, create tables, or highlight key points.

Additionally, the Mail app has received an upgrade, introducing one-line summaries for each email without the need to open them. It now prioritizes important emails at the top of your inbox and enables smart replies for quick responses to emails.

Moreover, Focus Mode is enhanced with a new feature called "Reduce Interruptions," which employs AI to filter notifications, showing only the most essential alerts.

While the Apple Intelligence suite introduces some innovative features, it still lacks functionalities like ChatGPT integration and Image Playground. According to Bloomberg, Apple is actively addressing bugs related to these new features, so users will need to wait for further enhancements.