Apple iOS 18.1 Debuts AI Features, Developers Get a Taste

Apple recently released developer previews of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, marking the official opening of its first batch of artificial intelligence (AI) features for developers to experience.

According to 9to5Mac, the Apple Intelligence features are particularly noteworthy in this series of updates. They include a major upgrade to Siri, which can maintain context coherence across multiple conversation requests. The Mail app has added convenient features such as smart replies and email summaries. The Photos app has introduced natural language search technology and various other optimization adjustments. However, Bloomberg reports that Apple may postpone the full-scale revamp of Siri's AI and other Apple Intelligence features until the second half of 2025.

To enjoy these cutting-edge features, users need to ensure that their devices meet the requirements. iPhone users need to have an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, while iPad and Mac users need devices equipped with Apple Silicon chips. After installing the updates, users also need to add the corresponding feature to the waiting list in the "Settings" of their devices and wait for system notifications to unlock these new features. The specific process is illustrated by @iSWUpdates on the X platform.

It is worth noting that alongside the release of the 18.1 preview version on Monday, Apple also launched the second public beta of iOS 18. This version also includes some features that have already appeared in the developer beta, such as expanded carrier RCS support, a new batch of CarPlay wallpapers, and the ability to enable dark mode widgets in light mode.

Going back to the Worldwide Developers Conference in June of this year, Apple first announced the AI feature revamp coming to iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Subsequently, the public beta of iOS 18 was officially launched on July 15. Interestingly, Apple chose to independently test the AI-related updates in the 18.1 version, rather than bundling them directly with the autumn release of iOS and iPadOS 18. This strategy may aim to discover and fix potential issues in advance, ensuring that the features are mature enough before being widely released. It also avoids the testing cycle of new features affecting the release schedule of the iPhone 16 and other new products alongside iOS and iPadOS 18.