Apple may delay AI features in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 for a smoother rollout

Apple’s much-anticipated artificial intelligence features, branded as Apple Intelligence, are set to arrive later than initially planned. These features will miss the initial rollout of the upcoming iPhone and iPad software updates, giving Apple more time to resolve any bugs.

According to Bloomberg, Apple Intelligence will be included in software updates scheduled for release by October. This means the AI features will follow a few weeks after the planned September release of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. The report claims that the updates are being held back to ensure a smoother user experience.

On the other hand, Apple will provide early access to Apple Intelligence for software developers this week through the iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 betas. Developers will be able to help identify and fix issues. Typically, Apple does not release previews of follow-up updates until the initial version of new software is publicly available.

Apple recently released a fourth beta of iOS 18.0 to developers and aims to finalise development by the end of July. The company needs to finish the operating system well ahead of the new iPhone launch in September to ensure the software can be installed on new devices before they ship.

The stakes are high for Apple as it bets big on AI. Ensuring a stable release is crucial, and Apple is relying on developer support to test these features more extensively. Stability concerns partly led to the decision to separate Apple Intelligence from the initial iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 launches.

Apple introduced these new features and operating systems in June during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2024). 

This rollout strategy suggests that the first iPhone 16 models shipped this year may lack the new AI features, requiring a software update weeks later. Apple Intelligence includes features like prioritising key notifications, summarising web pages and voice notes, writing tools, a revamped Siri, and integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Even when Apple Intelligence launches with iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, some features will be missing. Notably, significant Siri enhancements, such as using on-device data for queries and screen context, will not be available immediately.

The report suggests that Apple plans to introduce the full suite of Apple Intelligence features through multiple updates across the end of 2024 and the first half of 2025. These features will also come to Mac computers with Apple chips via macOS Sequoia and are in development for the Vision Pro, though the latter won’t see a release soon.

Even when the Apple Intelligence features are launched, the support is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and the upcoming iPhone 16 line. Apple hopes these features will drive sales of new iPhones.

In terms of design, the iPhone 16 line will see minimal changes, so software enhancements, along with a new camera control button and a faster chip, will be key selling points for the new models.