Apple Intelligence, It's not even close!

Summary

Apple Intelligence, introduced with iOS 18.1, is Apple's flagship AI feature for the year, focusing on software rather than hardware updates. Key highlights include improved writing tools, a smarter Siri, email summarization, smart replies, photo memory creation, and transcription features for audio and phone calls. While still in beta, Apple Intelligence promises potential in AI-powered task management and communication, though it lacks some features found in competitors like Google. The system is still evolving, with some hiccups in navigation and cross-app contextual awareness, but it shows great promise for streamlining everyday tasks on iPhones.

Takeaways

• 😀 Apple Intelligence is the flagship feature of iOS 18.1, focusing on AI integration across apps on iPhone.
• 😀 Siri has been significantly upgraded to understand and process more natural language, making it more intuitive for users.
• 😀 New writing tools powered by Apple Intelligence offer text corrections, rewording options, and the ability to rewrite content in various tones (e.g., friendly, professional, concise).
• 😀 The new 'Summarize' button in the Mail app allows users to quickly digest long emails by summarizing their content.
• 😀 Apple Intelligence introduces 'Smart Replies' in Mail and Messages, offering AI-suggested responses for quick replies.
• 😀 Users can create personalized memory movies in Photos by asking Apple Intelligence to pick photos, videos, and music based on specific themes.
• 😀 The photo-editing tool now allows users to remove objects or people from images by simply scribbling over them.
• 😀 Apple Intelligence can record and transcribe phone calls and voice memos, providing summaries of conversations for later review.
• 😀 New notification management features include summarized notifications, making it easier to handle a large number of alerts in Focus mode.
• 😀 Apple Intelligence can intelligently filter and prioritize notifications, allowing only important ones to come through during Focus mode.
• 😀 Despite impressive features, Apple Intelligence still lacks some key functionalities, such as cross-app contextual awareness, ChatGPT integration, and advanced image generation tools.

Q & A

What is Apple Intelligence and how is it integrated into iOS 18.1?

Apple Intelligence is a new AI-powered suite of tools introduced in iOS 18.1. It includes advanced writing assistance, Siri enhancements, smart email management, photo and video editing features, and more. It is designed to improve the user experience by adding AI-driven capabilities to everyday tasks on Apple devices.

What are the main writing tools available through Apple Intelligence?

The writing tools available through Apple Intelligence include automatic correction for spelling, grammar, and punctuation, as well as options to rewrite text in different tones such as 'friendly,' 'professional,' or 'concise.' It can also transform text into tables, lists, and summaries, offering a range of formatting and style adjustments.

How has Siri been improved with Apple Intelligence?

Siri now responds to natural language commands without the need for the 'Hey Siri' prompt. It has improved contextual awareness, meaning users can ask follow-up questions or provide new instructions without needing to repeat themselves. Siri is also more conversational, handling complex requests more easily.

What features does Apple Intelligence bring to email management?

Apple Intelligence introduces a 'Summarize' button in the Mail app, which condenses long emails into brief summaries. It also prioritizes important emails, making time-sensitive messages appear at the top of the inbox. Additionally, it suggests smart replies, allowing for quick responses to messages.

How does Apple Intelligence enhance photo and video editing?

Apple Intelligence allows users to create 'memory movies' by selecting photos and videos from specific events or people, set to a suitable music track. It also includes a feature to remove unwanted people or objects from images by simply scribbling on them, a function previously seen in Android devices.

Can Apple Intelligence transcribe and summarize audio recordings?

Yes, Apple Intelligence can transcribe and summarize both phone calls and audio notes. Users can record conversations, and the AI will transcribe the dialogue. Afterward, it can generate a concise summary of the key points from the audio, making it easy to review important information.

What is the new Smart Notifications feature in Apple Intelligence?

Smart Notifications allows Apple Intelligence to group notifications from the same app into a single summary stack. Users can then choose to expand and view the details or simply swipe away the entire stack. This helps declutter the notification screen and improves overall user experience.

How does Focus Mode work with Apple Intelligence?

Apple Intelligence enhances Focus Mode by using AI to intelligently filter notifications. It prioritizes important alerts based on context, such as time-sensitive messages or delivery updates, while filtering out less relevant notifications, allowing users to stay focused during work or personal time.

What are some of the features missing from Apple Intelligence in this release?

Some missing features include cross-app contextual awareness (e.g., automatically adding information to contacts or sending messages), generative AI features like creating images or emojis, and more advanced AI-powered photo enhancements. Navigation through Siri is also unreliable in some instances.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Apple Intelligence as described in the video?

The strengths of Apple Intelligence lie in its ability to streamline tasks such as text editing, calendar management, email handling, and photo enhancements. However, its weaknesses include incomplete cross-app integration, limited AI-driven creativity (such as no generative images), and inconsistent performance with navigation and voice commands in certain contexts.