Apple’s iOS 18 is expected to be the biggest update to iOS ever, thanks to the introduction of AI or ‘Apple Intelligence’ features. However, only some devices will get to enjoy the complete set of features.
The much awaited iOS 18 upgrade will be unveiled by Apple today at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). With so many new features, this update is billed as the biggest since the first iOS release.
But not every iPhone will profit from iOS 18's new AI features in the same way. Only the iPhone 15 Pro models and later will be able to fully use the features of the upgrade, with previous devices being somewhat "locked out," according to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg.
Because of the sophisticated A17 Pro chipset, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are anticipated to benefit the most from iOS 18. The newest AI-driven capabilities, which may not be available on earlier devices, are made possible by this new hardware.
While iOS 18 will still bring improvements to the entire iPhone lineup, the full suite of features will only be available on the latest Pro models. This exclusive access could incentivize users of older iPhones to upgrade to the forthcoming iPhone 16, potentially boosting sales.
The iOS 18 update introduces a variety of groundbreaking features under the umbrella of “Apple Intelligence.” This marks one of the most significant software advancements in recent years. Like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Siri will undergo significant advancements driven by large language models (LLMs). With these improvements, Siri should be able to carry out a wider range of activities and be more conversational.
When it comes to using certain app features, including opening documents, transferring files, deleting emails, editing images, and summarising messages and alerts, users may anticipate Siri interacting with these features more naturally.
All new AI functions will be opt-in, meaning users can choose whether or not to activate them, and will first be made available in beta for testing. While some capabilities will run entirely on the device, others will handle data via Apple's secure cloud servers.
Apple completely redesigned Siri's software to accommodate these new features. Though not anticipated to be released with the first release of iOS 18 in September, these capabilities will be showcased at WWDC. Rather, it is probable that they will be included in a later iteration of iOS 18 in 2025.
While iOS 18 will introduce many new features, older iPhones may not fully support all of them due to hardware limitations. This selective accessibility is likely designed to take advantage of the more advanced A17 Pro chipset in the latest Pro models. As a result, users of older iPhones might feel compelled to upgrade to newer models to enjoy the full benefits of iOS 18.
Apple’s iOS 18 is poised to be a game-changing update, with significant enhancements driven by AI and improved functionalities across the board.