Today marks a big day in Apple land, as iOS 18.1 officially launches, rolling out Apple’s highly anticipated suite of AI tools under the name “Apple Intelligence.” This isn’t just another incremental update for iPhones, either—Apple Intelligence represents the company’s first real foray into AI-driven features, a major development aimed at putting their devices on par with the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Here’s the rundown on what’s new in iOS 18.1, how Apple Intelligence is set to change the game, and what you’ll find even if you’re not on the latest device.
Apple Intelligence: Apple’s First AI Move
Announced with a fair amount of fanfare last month, Apple Intelligence is making its debut on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer models. From call transcriptions and an upgraded, more intuitive Siri to system-wide writing tools, Apple Intelligence is a suite of tools designed to make interacting with your device smoother and smarter.
To enable Apple Intelligence, you’ll need to update to iOS 18.1 and then activate it in Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri. Just remember, you may need to join a waitlist to access the features fully, as Apple is rolling them out gradually. And if you’re not sure about AI being “always on” in your life, you can toggle it off, so you’re not locked into these new capabilities.
Key AI-Powered Features in iOS 18.1
1. Revamped Siri with Contextual Awareness
With iOS 18.1, Siri gets a major AI boost and a new look, complete with a glowing light effect around the screen edges. The assistant now accepts written prompts (yes, you can finally text Siri!) and remembers context across prompts. Ask Siri to text “John,” and you can follow up with “Tell him to call me back”—Siri keeps up without missing a beat. Finally, Siri can offer tech support and help answer some troubleshooting questions.
2. Smart Writing Tools
Apple’s new AI-powered Writing Tools are available across the entire system, meaning you can ask AI to help polish emails, fix grammar, or even summarize a long text message with a quick TL;DR. It’ll even format text into a bulleted list or table if you want to keep things organized. Think of it as Grammarly on steroids, available anywhere you can type.
3. Call Recording and Transcriptions
For anyone who needs to refer back to a phone conversation, iOS 18.1’s new Call Recording and Transcription feature is a real gem. Once recording is enabled, you can record calls and have a full transcription generated automatically. Although initially announced as an iPhone 15 Pro feature, Apple has surprisingly extended call transcriptions to older models as far back as the iPhone XS. Transcriptions are saved alongside the recording, and if you’re on an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, Apple Intelligence can even summarize these calls.
4. Notification Summaries
Notifications get a facelift with AI summaries that bundle related alerts together and highlight key details. Instead of sifting through each notification, you can get a single summary—like an invoice and a receipt neatly grouped together. You’ll be prompted to activate Notification Summaries when enabling Apple Intelligence, but it’s also accessible under Settings if you change your mind.
5. Photo Enhancements
With iOS 18.1, Apple Intelligence adds new AI-driven tools to the Photos app. Now, you can “clean up” your pictures, removing unwanted elements with a swipe (a trick borrowed from Google’s Magic Eraser). Apple’s new natural language search also lets you search through photos with simple descriptions, like “beach day” or “snowy mountains,” without having to scroll endlessly.
Other Updates Worth Mentioning
If you’re not on an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, iOS 18.1 still brings a lot to the table:
- Control Center Reset Options: A dedicated reset button makes it easier to undo customizations, plus new tiles for quick access to connectivity settings.
- Enhanced NFC Support: Third-party apps can now use NFC for more functions, like transit cards or hotel room keys.
- Quick Selfie Camera Control: Exclusively for the iPhone 16 models, a new capacitive button lets you swap to selfie mode instantly.
What’s on the Horizon for Apple Intelligence
iOS 18.1 is just the beginning of Apple’s AI rollout, and more features are on the way. Apple promises future updates, including generative AI tools like Image Playground, the much-teased “Genmoji,” and even ChatGPT integration. They’re also working on localized support for Apple Intelligence in additional languages, with a full global rollout expected by mid-2025.
Should You Update to iOS 18.1?
For iPhone 15 Pro users, the answer is a no-brainer: Apple Intelligence delivers the first real taste of AI on Apple devices, and it could make your phone smarter and more useful day-to-day. Even if you’re on an older model, the non-AI improvements are solid reasons to update.
Apple’s approach to AI is unfolding, but with iOS 18.1, they’re making it clear: this is just the beginning. Whether you’re a long-time Apple enthusiast or just here for the “smart” features, it’ll be worth keeping an eye on where Apple Intelligence goes next.