In a highly anticipated announcement at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024, Apple unveiled iOS 18, a major update to its mobile operating system that promises to revolutionize the iPhone experience with cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) features. However, the most advanced AI capabilities will be exclusive to the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, leaving owners of older models feeling left out.
Siri Gets Smarter with Large Language Models
One of the standout features of iOS 18 is the significant upgrade to Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant. Powered by large language models (LLMs) similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the new Siri will be more conversational and capable of handling complex tasks. Users can expect Siri to interact seamlessly with apps, open specific documents, move files, delete emails, edit photos, and even summarize messages and notifications.
Apple has rearchitected Siri’s software to support these new capabilities, but the full extent of these features won’t be available at the initial release of iOS 18 in September. Instead, they will likely roll out in a later version of iOS 18 in 2025.
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Generative AI for Photos and Music
iOS 18 also introduces exciting generative AI features for photo editing and music recommendations. With a feature reportedly called “Clean Up,” users will be able to effortlessly remove unwanted objects from their photos, while generative AI fills in the gaps. Additionally, “Generative Playground” will allow iPhone users to create custom images through an app extension.
Apple Music is also set to benefit from AI, with auto-generated playlists tailored to users’ preferences. This feature will save music lovers the time and effort of manually curating their playlists.
Exclusive AI Features for iPhone 16 Pro Models
Despite the impressive array of AI features in iOS 18, not all iPhones will be able to fully leverage these capabilities. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the most advanced AI functions will be limited to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, leaving users of older models feeling “locked out”.
The A17 Pro chipset, expected to power the iPhone 16 Pro models, is likely the reason behind this exclusivity. The chip’s enhanced processing power and neural engine will enable the Pro models to handle the demanding AI tasks that older iPhones simply cannot.
“Only the latest iPhone models will fully benefit from these groundbreaking AI capabilities,” Gurman states.
The Future of AI on iPhones
Apple’s decision to limit the most advanced AI features to the iPhone 16 Pro models has raised concerns among users of older devices. Some fear that this move could push them to upgrade to the latest iPhones, boosting sales for Apple but leaving many users behind.
However, Apple’s approach to AI integration in iOS 18 is not entirely unexpected. Rivals like Samsung and Google have also kept many of their cutting-edge AI features exclusive to newer models. As AI continues to shape the future of smartphones, it remains to be seen how Apple will balance innovation with accessibility for its diverse user base.
As the excitement builds for the release of iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 lineup, one thing is clear: artificial intelligence will play a pivotal role in shaping the iPhone experience for years to come.