Apple has rolled out the second beta of iOS 18.2 for developers, in which the company has brought several enhancements to Siri, most notable being integration of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The iOS 18.2 developer beta 2 was rolled out on Monday, bringing the OS to older iPhone models, including the iPhone XR and iPhone XS.
With iOS 18.2, Apple Intelligence – Apple’s suite of AI-powered tools and services (such as advanced Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, and more) – are made available on more models of iPhones. ChatGPT’s integration with Siri is a part of this update, bringing an upgrade to Siri’s existing capabilities. With this, Siri will be able to deliver answers in a more natural, contextually relevant manner, shifting from the traditional, keyword-driven interactions that digital assistants provide. Developers with access to the beta version will find a new section within the iOS Settings app, one that manages their usage of ChatGPT.
Speaking of ChatGPT, Apple had earlier announced that users will be able to access the chatbot for free via Apple Intelligence. That still stands, though if you wish to access to access the more advanced functionalities, you will need to pay to gain continued access. There is a cap for users on the free tier regarding their usage of the advanced capabilities offered by the AI chatbot – a daily limit. While you are under the limit, you will have access to the advanced capabilities for a select number of requests/prompts, following which you need to pay to continue accessing them or be satisfied with using the basic version of ChatGPT.
This is hardly unsurprising, given that OpenAI – which gave us ChatGPT – has done something similar, and hidden its more advanced features (and more powerful models) behind a paywall. Apple has taken a page out of its book, and on iOS 18.2, ChatGPT Plus will be made available at $19.99 per month. Users who are willing to pay will have access to the more powerful GPT-4o model and a higher limit on messages. Additional features will also be accessible, including access to Advanced Voice Mode, support for image and file uploads, early access to new features, and others. If you have a ChatGPT Plus plan, then you can simply sign into your account. Free access to GPT-4o requests resets every 24 hours.
Apart from this, the iOS 18.2 beta includes various other enhancements, such as updates to Camera Control and improvements to the Find My app. Camera Control will now come with greater precise adjustments (which will be beneficial for photography enthusiasts). Users will have to enable the feature by going to the settings of the Camera app, following which they can lightly press and hold Camera Control to lock both focus and exposure. The improvements to Find My will now allow users to track lost items better by letting them share the location of their device or lost item(s). If another user finds the item(s), they can visit the app to go to the new section – Show Contact Info – to get the contact details of the owner of the device or item(s).
