Apple’s much-anticipated AI suite, branded as Apple Intelligence, is set to debut later than initially expected. This delay means these AI features will miss the initial rollout of the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates. Instead, Apple has pushed the release back to October. This means that the iPhone 16 models, scheduled for release this year, are unlikely to feature the full suite of AI capabilities at their launch.
The delay allows the Cupertino-headquartered tech titan to conduct more extensive testing and refinement of the Apple Intelligence features. By engaging software developers in the testing process through the iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 betas, the company aims to identify and address potential issues before the public launch. A report by Bloomberg reveals the same.
To aid in the refinement process, the tech behemoth will also provide early access to Apple Intelligence for software developers starting this week. This early access will be through the iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 beta versions. By doing so, Apple aims to leverage developer feedback to identify and fix potential issues before the public release. This approach is somewhat atypical for the company, which usually does not release previews of follow-up updates until the initial version of the new software is publicly available.
The stakes are particularly high for Apple as it bets heavily on the success of its AI features. Ensuring a stable release is crucial, and Apple is relying on developer support to test these features more extensively. Concerns about the stability of Apple Intelligence features were a key reason for separating the AI rollout from the initial iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 launches. By involving developers early, Apple hopes to iron out any kinks and deliver a polished product to consumers.
Apple introduced these new AI features and operating systems in June during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024. The delay means that the first iPhone 16 models shipped this year will likely lack the new AI features initially, which means that there is likely to be a software update a few weeks later. Apple Intelligence includes several capabilities such as prioritizing key notifications, summarizing web pages and voice notes, providing writing tools, revamping Siri, and integrating with OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Still, even when Apple Intelligence launches with iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, some features will still be missing. Notably, significant Siri enhancements, such as using on-device data for queries and providing screen context, will not be available immediately. Apple plans to introduce the full suite of Apple Intelligence features through multiple updates across the end of the year and the first half of 2025. In addition to iPhones and iPads, these AI features will also come to Mac computers with Apple chips via macOS Sequoia.
Development is also underway for integrating Apple Intelligence with the Vision Pro, though its release is not expected soon. However, initial support for Apple Intelligence will be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and the upcoming iPhone 16 line. Apple hopes these features will drive sales of new iPhones, especially given that the iPhone 16 line will see minimal design changes. Therefore, software enhancements, along with a new camera control button and a faster chip, will be key selling points for the new models.
