Apple’s planned artificial intelligence (AI) features, including enhancements to its virtual assistant Siri, will not be released with the initial launch of the forthcoming iPhone and iPad software updates. The Cupertino-based company intends to introduce these features, collectively branded “Apple Intelligence,” in software updates expected by October 2024, Bloomberg has reported, following the scheduled September releases of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.
The delay involves new functionalities for Siri, which are part of the broader Apple Intelligence suite aimed at boosting the AI capabilities of Apple devices. These enhancements are designed to improve Siri’s ability to generate text, images, and other content on command, thereby providing users with more fluid interactions.
This postponement also allows Apple to adhere to recent European Union (EU) regulations that require compatibility with competing products and services. These regulations necessitated the postponement of three specific AI features that were initially planned for an earlier release. In the meantime, Apple will make these features available to software developers for preliminary testing via the iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 betas, which are expected to be released shortly.
Key AI announcements that Apple made at WWDC24
At the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC24) in June, Apple unveiled a series of AI-driven enhancements across its product lineup to counteract declining sales and enhance user experience. The Apple Intelligence suite, which includes updates to Siri, will be available on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and other devices equipped with the M1 chip and later versions, extending to iPads and Macs. A new feature, iPhone Mirroring on macOS Sequoia, will enable users to view and interact with their iPhone screens on Mac computers. Apple Intelligence leverages the power of Apple silicon to understand and generate language and images, execute actions across apps, and draw from users’ personal context to streamline and expedite everyday tasks.
A key aspect of Apple Intelligence is on-device processing, which offers personalised intelligence without collecting user data. The Private Cloud Compute feature introduces a new standard for privacy in AI, allowing flexible and scalable computational capacity between on-device processing and larger, server-based models running on dedicated Apple silicon servers.
Apple Intelligence seen as company’s answer to Google, Microsoft
Apple is often seen as lagging behind other tech giants like Microsoft and Google in AI. This perception comes from Microsoft’s and Google’s more aggressive AI initiatives, including Microsoft’s integration of AI into Copilot features and Google’s advancements with DeepMind. Apple’s conservative approach focuses on privacy and slower rollouts, primarily enhancing Siri and implementing privacy-focused features like on-device processing. This contrasts with the broader AI integrations in Microsoft’s and Google’s products, which cover various applications and services.
Additionally, Apple’s AI development has been slowed by regulatory challenges, such as complying with EU rules requiring interoperability with rival services. This careful approach differs from the more rapid strategies of its competitors.
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