Apple Users Share Early Thoughts on Integrated Intelligence Across Devices: iPhone, Mac, and iPad
Apple Introduces Seamless AI-Driven Intelligence Across Devices
Apple has rolled out its latest update, iOS 18.1, MacOS Sequoia, and iPad OS 18.1, bringing a host of new features and enhancements to iPhone, Mac, and iPad users worldwide. This update, centred around Apple Intelligence, aims to make AI-driven intelligence more integrated, productive, and user-friendly, all while prioritizing privacy.
Enhanced Reminders Integration
The update introduces a more streamlined way to manage tasks. You can now share text from emails, websites, or notes directly to Reminders, and Apple Intelligence will automatically suggest tasks or grocery lists from screenshots. It also auto-categorizes reminders into sections like “Work” and “Errands” for better organization.
Improved Visual Intelligence
Beyond identifying surroundings with the camera, you can now look up and take action based on screenshots. It integrates with third-party apps like Google and Etsy to look up images or objects directly from screenshots. It also suggests smart, context-aware actions such as adding event details to your calendar from an invite screenshot.
Wallet App Upgrades
The Wallet app has been upgraded to scan emails and summarize order tracking details from any merchant, even without Apple Pay. It supports paying with installments in stores, rewards on in-store purchases, and boarding passes with Live Activities for real-time flight tracking with map integration.
Phone App Enhancements
The Phone app has undergone a significant overhaul, with a unified layout combining Favorites, Recents, and Voicemails. Call Screening asks unknown callers for their name and reason before connecting, helping stop unwanted calls. Hold Assist stays on the line during hold so users don’t have to listen to hold music and notifies when a live agent is available.
Shortcuts App with Intelligent Actions
The Shortcuts app now allows for more powerful automations by summarizing text, creating images, or tapping into Apple Intelligence models.
Foundation Models framework for Developers
Apple has introduced multilingual, multimodal foundation language models optimized for on-device and server use that power Apple Intelligence features. A new Swift-centric framework allows developers to add AI features easily, emphasizing privacy and responsible AI use.
Siri Improvements
Siri has been made more natural, forgiving, and responsive. It now better handles follow-up questions, the option to invoke Siri silently without saying "Hey Siri," and integration with ChatGPT to provide answers when Siri can’t directly respond.
Other Key Features
The Focused Messages feature in Mail adds a new level of organization for users on the go, highlighting urgent emails at the top of the inbox. The Notes app now allows users to record, transcribe, and summarize audio, and participants are notified when a call is being recorded. The Clean Up tool lets users remove unwanted objects or people from photos.
The update also includes the Intelligent Photos App, allowing users to search for specific moments and jump directly to them. Systemwide Writing Tools provide options to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text across various apps. Lastly, the Priority Messages feature allows users to view message summaries without opening them.
This update reflects Apple's broad push to make AI-driven intelligence more seamlessly integrated across its devices, enhancing productivity, communication, and user convenience with strict privacy considerations.
- With the latest update, Apple Intelligence now suggests tasks or grocery lists from screenshots, making smartphone use more efficient and integrating AI-driven smartphones further into everyday tasks.
- The enhancement of the Visual Intelligence feature allows users to look up images or objects directly from screenshots on their smartphones, demonstrating how technology has become more conversant with everyday gadgets like smartphones.
