iOS 18.1 is finally out, but it’s not the Apple Intelligence you’ve been looking for

Rejoice, Apple Intelligence has finally arrived! If you have compatible device (more on this later) you can now go to iOS 18.1iPad OS 18.1 or macOS Sequoia 15.1 and get your first sample update Apple says it will “open a new chapter in Apple innovation.”

Sounds pretty impressive, doesn’t it? This is why you may feel a little confused when you first install Apple Intelligence. Don’t get me wrong, Apple Intelligence’s potential is still huge, but after such strong billing from the Cupertino company, what you actually get in the most recent update seems like a good start but ultimately underwhelming. In iOS 18.1, you get writing tools for proofreading, rewriting, and summarizing, notification summaries, photo cleanup, and an updated Siri.

Hey Siri, don’t make it bad

Yes, Siri looks different now, but it behaves the same. Lovingly whisper those intimate words “Hey Siri” into your iPhone and the entire edge of the screen lights up like a multi-colored mating call that reminds me a little of a migraine. It’s not that subtle, but unfortunately Siri isn’t any smarter than it was before. Sure, he can still calculate the cooking time for boiled eggs, but if you ask him anything more complex, he’ll immediately return to a plate of “Here’s what I found on the Internet” search results. We have to get right ChatGPT There is also integration with Siri, but it is not yet available. Expect ChatGPT to arrive in Siri with iOS 18.2 by the end of the year, followed by a major Siri update with personalized context and on-screen display next year.

The feature most people associate with AI is photo editing, and Apple’s update is underwhelming compared to what competitors already offer. Bye Google Gemini, Meta AIAnd Samsung Galaxy AI can dream up fantasy landscapes and alien worlds on its phone, Apple may just be removing objects from photos, at least for now. Photo Clean Up is nice, even magical, in that it can use artificial intelligence to intelligently fill in the background behind photo elements you want to remove, but it’s like an enhanced photo editor that lets you remove your ex from your holiday snaps without having to embarrass yourself kindly request photoshop an expert who does it for you, not something that lets your imagination run wild with the limitless possibilities of AI.

In fact, all the AI features Apple has launched so far are hiding somewhere in the background. You need to click on the right icon to open them. It’s like Apple is embarrassing them. For example, if you want to summarize an email in Mail, you need to pull the message down to reveal a hidden tab with a Summarize button. The Proofread tool is hidden behind the Apple Intelligence icon in the menu bar and is quite easy to miss, and so on.

Hand holding iPhone showing new Siri

(Image credit: Apple)

High bar

Of course, for many iPhone owners, Apple Intelligence will remain just a pipe dream anyway. The bar for entry on the iPhone is ridiculously high. To take part in the AI revolution, you need the highest specs from the previous generation (iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max) or the new iPhone 16. There are easier ways to experience Apple Intelligence: any M-series Mac can do the job, like and the new iPad mini (see iPad mini review) – but the device you want to use it on will always be the device that will always be with you. And this is your iPhone.

Add to this the geographically scattered nature of the rollout (Apple Intelligence won’t be available on iPhones in the UK until December and April for the rest of Europe) and Apple’s big bang starts to feel like a whine. Where I live in the UK, I have to trick Siri into using US English to activate Apple Intelligence. This relatively simple hackbut it’s painful to do.

Summary of Preview settings on iPhone 16.

Setting up notification previews in iOS 18.1 (Image credit: Future, Apple, Inc.)

Wake me up when December comes

So when will we get the Apple Intelligence we really need? December, Apple says. That’s when we’ll get Image Playground for creating images using AI, Genmoji for creating your own emoji, and a more functional Siri with ChatGPT integration. There will also be a much improved Mail app that really takes full advantage of Apple Intelligence.

So, wake me up, Apple, when December rolls around, because then we’ll see the full launch of Apple Intelligence, and that’s what I’m waiting for.