Apple's much-anticipated Apple Intelligence features will start appearing weeks after the initial iOS 18 release, but this won't impact the timely rollout of the iPhone 16. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the first Apple Intelligence tools only surfaced in the iOS 18.1 developer beta, distinguishing them from the base features included in iOS 18.
Initially, Apple Intelligence will only be available on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, but the iPhone 16 lineup will support many of these features when they become available. While the exact timeline for the full rollout remains unclear, Apple has hinted that the complete suite may extend into early 2025.
Gurman recalls that Apple once postponed an iPhone launch — the iPhone 4S in 2011 — due to unfinished iCloud and Siri features. However, the iPhone 16 is expected to debut as usual in mid-September.
AppleInsider's hands-on with the first iOS 18.1 beta highlights new writing tools, summarization features, recording and transcription options, and an enhanced Siri experience. More advanced features, such as Genmoji and ChatGPT integration, are slated for later releases.
iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia will follow a similar staggered approach, with Apple Intelligence features appearing in subsequent updates. The full suite is anticipated to be available by the end of 2024, with some speculated to roll out in early 2025.
Stay tuned as Apple continues to innovate and enhance the user experience with these groundbreaking updates.
