What’s new for Apple Intelligence?

Most Apple watchers may have noticed that the company’s iPhone 16 marketing really does put Apple Intelligence front and center, even though its home-baked breed of AaI (Artificial [Apple] Intelligence) isn’t available quite yet. 

All the same, the system, which we explain in great depth here, is on the way. And in the run up to its arrival, we’re learning more about it, and when and how it will be introduced. As we wait on data about the extent to which Apple Intelligence boosts future iPhone sales, read on to learn when Apple Intelligence will come to your nation, what schedule the various tools are shipping on, and other recently revealed details concerning Apple’s hugely hyped service.

When is Apple Intelligence coming?

Apple will introduce the first of its Apple Intelligence services with the release of iOS 18.1. More tools and services will be made available later this year and across 2025, when the company will likely introduce brand new and unannounced features. You will require an iPhone 16 series device, an iPhone 15 Pro series device, or an iPad or Mac running an M1 chip or later to run the system.

What schedule are service releases on?

A Bloomberg report tells us when to expect Apple Intelligence features to appear:

iOS 18.1: 

Due in mid-October, this first set of features will include various Writing tools, phone call recording and transcription, a smart focus mode and Memories movies. Apple tells us the feature list includes:

• Writing Tools.
• Clean Up in Photos.
• Create a Memory movie in Photos.
• Natural language search in Photos.
• Notification summaries.
• Reduce Interruptions Focus.
• Intelligent Breakthrough and Silencing in Focus.
• Priority messages in Mail.
• Smart Reply in Mail and Messages.
• Summaries in Mail and Messages.
• And Siri enhancements, including product knowledge, more resilient request handling, a new look and feel, a more natural voice, the ability to type to Siri, and more.

iOS 18.2: 

In December, we should see Apple make Genmoji and Image Playground services available.

iOS 18.4: 

This is when Siri will be overhauled to become more contextually aware and capable of providing more personally relevant responses. This release is thought to be coming in March and will be preceded by a more minor update (iOS 18.3).

Where will Apple Intelligence be available?

Bad news, good news. The good news is that US iPhone owners will get to use Apple Intelligence as soon as iOS 18.1 ships. The other good news is that any user anywhere willing to set their device language to US English should also be able to run the services; if you want to keep your iPhone running your language, you’ll have to wait a little while.

Apple has promised to introduce localized language support for the following English nationalities in December: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Throughout 2025, the company has promised to introduce Apple Intelligence support for English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. The company also promised support for “other” languages, but hasn’t announced which ones. For the moment, at least, Apple Intelligence will not be available in the EU.

How much storage does the system need?

An Apple document confirms that Apple Intelligence requires 4GB of available iPhone storage to download, install, and use. The company hasn’t disclosed how much space is required on iPads or Macs, but it seems reasonable to expect it’s close to the same. Apple also warns that the amount of required storage could increase as new features are introduced. 

What else to know

Apple now sees AI as a hugely important component to its business moving forward. That means the service will work on all future iPads, Macs, and iPhones (including iPhone SE). It also means the company is plotting a path to support the service on visionOS devices and Homepod and deploy it in future products, including an intelligent home automation and management system it apparently plans, along with the introduction (at last) of a “HomeOS.” There’s more information here.

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