iOS 18's next developer beta to feature Apple Intelligence features: Report

Bloomberg has reported that the Apple Intelligence will not be offered with the new iPhones at launch. Instead, the features will gradually rollout starting with iOS 18.1 update in October

Apple Intelligence features will debut with iOS 18.1, which is expected to roll out in October. It essentially means the next-generation iPhones will launch without the much anticipated artificial intelligence-powered features. However, some of the upcoming Apple Intelligence features will be available to developers for testing as soon as next week with iOS 18’s next developer beta version, reported Bloomberg. According to the report, features such as Image Playground and Genmoji are expected to arrive first whereas features like the new Siri and chatGPT integration will be delayed till next Spring.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is working on completing the development of next-generation iOS and iPadOS by the end of July, and delaying Apple Intelligence to 18.1 will let the company dedicate more time to fix bugs and improve stability.

This news is in line with Bloomberg's previous projections. In June, Bloomberg reported that Apple Apple is planning a gradual rollout schedule for Apple Intelligence features on its new operating systems for iPhones, iPads, and Macs. According to the report, artificial intelligence (AI) features unveiled at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2024 will be available in preview first.

Traditionally, Apple rolls out a full version of iOS with new iPhone models. However, the report stated that many new features, especially AI-powered tools that the company calls Apple Intelligence, will be available as a preview on the iPhone 16-series models. Additionally, Apple Intelligence features will likely work only in American English, and users might have to join a waitlist to access some of the new features.

Apple is likely to add more AI capabilities with each update in 2024. While some features like Categories in the Mail app will be available for users by the end of the year, others features won't be available until 2025.

Bloomberg had earlier reported that Apple’s digital assistant Siri with AI backing will not be ready until next year. Although the redesigned interface for Siri and the ability to type in prompts will likely be available by the end of 2024, capabilities such as contextual understanding, in-app function control, and on-screen awareness will arrive next year.