Apple Intelligence is now available for some iOS users: First impressions

Apple has started rolling out its Apple intelligence features to some of its users in iOS and iPadOS 18.1 developer beta. This beta, not yet available to the public, introduces a host of innovative features for users with the latest hardware, including the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad Pro with the M4 chip. In our Ask Aayush segment, we talk about the new features and if they live up to the hype. 

One of the standout updates is the significant overhaul of Siri, which now features a new design, complete with glowing lights around the device edges that activate when Siri is summoned. More importantly, Siri now offers enhanced contextual awareness, allowing for more seamless interactions. For example, when asking for weather updates or facts about landmarks, Siri responds with relevant and immediate answers, showing an improvement in understanding and interaction.

Beyond Siri, Apple has introduced new writing tools aimed at enhancing productivity. These tools can rewrite, proofread, and summarise notes, allowing users to make their text more concise, professional, or friendly. While these features are promising, it's important to note that they are still in beta, and not all functionalities are fully operational.

Another notable feature is the introduction of call recording, a long-requested capability that is now finally available on iPhones. However, some features like image generation, GenMoji, and ChatGPT integration are not yet included in this update but are expected in future releases. 

Verdict

If you have a spare iPhone or have backed up your data, you might want to try it. However, it might be best to wait for the public beta, which is a few months away, to test these features. Some of them are truly impressive. While many OEMs and manufacturers have introduced AI features that turn out to be gimmicks, this one seems like a game changer.