Apple Rolls Out AI Features for iPhones, Limited to Specific Models

Apple has at last made its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities available for the iPhone, though access is restricted to a subset of users. Apple Intelligence, a collection of AI tools first announced in June, became accessible globally on Monday for owners of certain iPhones. Users with compatible devices could gain access by updating their iPhones to the most recent version of Apple’s operating system. Individuals wishing to utilize Apple Intelligence must apply to join a waitlist after updating to iOS 18.1. Apple indicates that users should be able to activate its suite of AI tools “within a few hours” of joining the waitlist, although it notes that wait times may differ. Among the new functionalities are summaries for notifications, aids for composing messages, and an updated visual interface for the virtual assistant Siri. However, these features are exclusively available to owners of the newest devices, encompassing all iPhone 16 models, as well as the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Apple Intelligence is also compatible with Mac computers and iPad tablets equipped with the company’s latest processors. Nevertheless, some of the tools released on Monday have been introduced later than comparable functionalities found on other widely used devices. Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, stated that the public launch of its AI tools marked “a new era” for its product line. This release follows the company’s announcement on Friday that it would offer a reward of up to $1 million (£770,000) to ethical hackers who could identify vulnerabilities in its AI software. The set of features rolled out on Monday as part of the iOS 18.1 update represents the initial phase of AI tools previously showcased at Apple’s summer developer conference. Additional features, such as generating images and emoji from text prompts, are anticipated later this year. Google and Samsung have already integrated AI features into their respective devices. These include capabilities like real-time conversation translation, automatic note organization, and the ability to search online by drawing a circle around an item. Samsung initially offered its Galaxy AI features on its newest handsets but later extended availability to include S22 devices, which were released in 2022. The South Korean technology firm declared in February its intention to make Galaxy AI accessible to over 100 million users by the end of 2024. Apple’s new Clean Up tool, which enables users to remove unwanted objects or individuals from an image, also follows Google’s earlier introduction of a similar tool named Magic Eraser. Mr. Cook informed the Wall Street Journal in October that the company was “perfectly fine with not being first”, adding that it “takes a while to get it really great”.