Apple has launched its eagerly anticipated AI suite, Apple Intelligence, across iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.
Apple is known for its technological innovation and seamless user experience. It was greeted with high expectations.
The response is not exactly positive. Users are finding that the initial wave of Apple Intelligence has been disappointing and disjointed compared to Apple’s long-running AI goals.
Apple Intelligence arrives with an assortment of basic tools rather than transforming upgrades. Although a few features can be useful, which include writing aids, improved Siri capabilities, and an eraser tool in Photos, they aren’t as efficient or timesaving AI revolution as many hoped for.
The features are available with the latest iPhone 16, iPads, and Macs. The AI tools aren’t unified in their effect; instead, they feel like a collection of different tools rather than an integrated powerful suite.
Familiar Tools, Uninspiring Results
Apple Intelligence felt more like an early-stage beta test than a revolutionary suite at its initial launch. The AI features appear with new glowing gradients as well as glitter icons.
Still, they’re like existing technology but aren’t groundbreaking or innovative. Writing Tools, for example, lets users rewrite or proofread text by tapping.
It can transform a casual email into a professional one or eliminate document typos. This feature can only be used by selecting a particular text, making it easy to miss and unintentionally use.
Smart Replies and Mail Summaries – Two additional AI-powered tools give context-based responses to messages and emails.
Similar to the Google Smart Reply feature, which has been in operation since 2017 with these AI responses, they don’t have the personal touch that makes them easy to dismiss and replace with more genuine, written responses.
The mail summaries feature is another one that aims to improve the communication process. The summary appears instead of the normal email preview.
And they also offer the option of obtaining summaries of longer emails. This can be useful to users with high volumes; for those who are using subject lines that convey vital details, it’s a bit confusing. The mail summary feels clunky.
Siri’s New Look, Same Old Siri
One of the most awaited AI upgrades was the redesign of Siri. Although Apple has provided Siri with an overhaul in its visual interface- users can now type into Siri and watch it respond by flashing a glowing image around the screen- its performance leaves much to be gone.
Siri can now handle natural language better and answer questions more precisely. Still, it’s way from being the “game-changing” digital assistant Apple promised.
Interestingly, the most significant improvements in Siri’s capabilities, like more contextual awareness and a ChatGPT-powered extension, are scheduled for a release later in 2025.
The current updates to Siri are purely aesthetic but have no impact on the functionality. People looking for a significant change in Siri’s performance might be disappointed.
Apple Photos’ New Clean-Up Tool
Apple Intelligence includes the Clean-Up tool in Photos, which allows users to remove objects from photos.
This tool eliminates distractions such as the photobombing of a passerby or unattractive background objects.
It can even run on devices and offers quick response time and greater privacy than cloud-dependent alternatives. In a side-by-side comparison, Google’s Magic Eraser tool, launched years ago, produces almost identical results.
Clean-Up’s effectiveness varies based on the degree of complexity of the photo; smaller background elements are usually removed without difficulty, whereas large or central elements may create visible distortions.
Compared to Google’s most recent generational AI tools, Clean-Up from Apple plays catch-up rather than establishing new boundaries in editing photos.
Notification Summaries
Notification summaries were created to help users reduce clutter by providing a concise overview of their notifications.
It’s a useful feature, especially for those constantly bombarded with notifications. Summarized notifications save users from having to scroll through endless notifications and unnecessary updates by highlighting key areas in their notifications.
In reality, the effectiveness of AI isn’t always consistent. Some users have reported that AI summaries of messages missed important points or highlighted less relevant information.
This is why users are still dipping into the full notifications to ensure they don’t miss anything crucial. While the feature is possible, it’s not yet equipped with the precision required to be an actual time saver.
Apple Intelligence Goes Global, But the EU Waits
With the launch of Apple Intelligence, Apple touted that these features are available “in most regions around the world.” Still, those in the European Union are facing delays.
Because of compliance issues with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, the release of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 in Europe does not include Apple Intelligence capabilities.
Apple announced that the features will be available within the EU in April 2025, giving Mac users from the EU access to a limited number of features in English through macOS Sequoia 15.1.
This sluggish rollout highlights Apple’s prudence in markets with strict digital policies. Apple seeks to avoid legal issues by ensuring its AI integrations comply with the Digital Markets Act.
A Fragmented Rollout: Why Wait?
Apple Intelligence’s rollout is unusual for the company, known for its unison and timely launch of new products.
In contrast, iOS 18.1 arrives weeks after the iPhone 16’s launch, with only a few AI options available in the initial release and many more to be added.
For instance, queue systems are in place to allow Apple Intelligence access, even for eligible devices; however, the wait times aren’t too long.
Many of the most advanced features, like ChatGPT’s Siri extension, Visual Intelligence (to provide real-time contextual information), and Genmoji, are scheduled for release in the future.
Although the currently available features are functional, they don’t have an impact. They left early users wondering why Apple had not held off on releasing Apple Intelligence until the entire package had been put in place.
Apple’s Private Cloud Compute
Despite the limitations, Apple’s AI and privacy methods have remained an advantage. In contrast to competitors whose AI models heavily depend on cloud-based data, Apple Intelligence operates primarily by processing on-device and Apple’s Private Cloud Compute.
This model improves privacy by ensuring no data from the device, which is an important advantage for those concerned about security.
Privacy alone might not be enough to entice users to seek features comparable to those provided by Google and Samsung.
Apple’s competitors have continuously improved their AI offerings, which has resulted in tools that feel a part of their ecosystems. Apple Intelligence feels like an assortment of features rather than a complete, time-saving suite.
The Wait for iOS 18.2
Even though Apple Intelligence may seem underwhelming, the upcoming iOS 18.2 update is expected to fix some of its weaknesses.
Apple has announced that more advanced features, like Visual Intelligence, which can detect objects in real-time and give contextual info, will be rolling out shortly.
Genmoji allows users to design custom emojis, and Siri’s enhanced contextual perception is expected to be available in iOS 18.2.
The most awaited feature is ChatGPT integration, allowing Siri to respond to open-ended queries and give more precise responses.
This feature could allow Siri to compete with assistants such as Google Assistant and Alexa, providing Apple Intelligence the boost it requires to stand out from the competitive AI market.
Apple Intelligence’s launch generated excitement but with tempered enthusiasm. The current version of the software gives Apple users the chance to experience the benefits of AI. Still, it does not offer the revolutionary innovation that Apple is expected to bring.
With new features coming out over the next few years, Apple may yet deliver its AI promises; for the moment, users might be waiting a bit longer to experience the “intelligent” experiences Apple has advertised.
