After much anticipation, Apple has unveiled its artificial intelligence (AI) tools for iPhone, albeit for a limited audience. Dubbed Apple Intelligence, this collection of AI features was initially announced in June and officially launched for select iPhone users around the globe on Monday. Among the new offerings are notification summaries, enhanced messaging assistance, and an updated interface for the virtual assistant Siri.
These features are exclusively available to users with the latest models, which encompass all variations of the iPhone 16 as well as the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. In addition to iPhones, Apple Intelligence can also be accessed on Mac computers and iPads equipped with its modern chips. However, it’s worth noting that some of these functionalities have been introduced later than similar features found on competing devices from other leading brands.
Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, remarked that the rollout of these AI tools marks the beginning of “a new era” for the company’s products. This launch follows an announcement made on Friday regarding a bounty program aimed at ethical hackers who identify vulnerabilities in Apple’s AI software, with rewards reaching up to $1 million (£770,000).
The features included in Monday’s iOS 18.1 update represent the first set of AI tools showcased during Apple’s summer developer conference. Additional functionalities are anticipated later in the year, such as capabilities for generating images and emojis based on text inputs.
In contrast, competitors like Google and Samsung have already integrated AI features into their devices. These include real-time translation during conversations, automatic note organization, and enhanced search functionality that allows users to find information by simply drawing a circle around it on their screens. While Samsung initially rolled out its Galaxy AI features exclusively for its latest smartphones, it later expanded access to include S22 models released in 2022. The South Korean company also announced plans to make Galaxy AI available to over 100 million users by 2024.
As Apple takes strides into the realm of artificial intelligence with its new tools and features, it joins a competitive landscape where other tech giants are already advancing their offerings in this rapidly evolving field.
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