Apple Intelligence is now available for the general public! However, with few terms and conditions. With the release of the first public betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, Apple has started to roll out the much-awaited first batch of Generative AI features under its Apple Intelligence umbrella to supported iPhone, iPad and Mac. Up until now, these features were available primarily for developers—though anybody with the knack of taking risks could sign up and use them. Public betas tend to offer a bit more reliability and peace of mind in comparison, so you can say, more people can get on-board now. The final stable release has an October ETA.
How to get access to the latest (public) betas?
If you want to test out iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1, you’ll need to first register for Apple’s beta software program. It’s a pretty simple process. Just head to Apple’s beta software website, sign up with your Apple ID, and you’re ready to download the update. You can find it under Settings > General > Software update.
But here’s the catch—not all Apple devices can access the new Apple Intelligence features. Only a select few iPhones and devices are eligible. If you have last year’s iPhone 15 Pro or the newly launched iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, you’re in luck. The iPhone 15 doesn’t make the cut because of memory bottlenecks. As for iPads and Macs, only those powered by M1 chips or newer are supported.
Should you download the betas?
As with any beta software, there are pros and cons to downloading iOS 18.1 early. On one hand, you’ll get to experience exciting new features before everyone else. On the other hand, beta software is also unfinished. In other words, there could be bugs or performance issues that make daily use a bit frustrating. That is why, you’re advised to not install it on any primary device. That said, if you love being on the bleeding edge of technology and don’t mind the occasional glitch, only sky is the limit.
What’s included in the iOS 18.1 (public) beta?
While there are other features, Apple Intelligence is clearly the star of this new update, packing in new tools that promise to enhance writing, photography, and interaction with Siri.
- Photos Clean-Up tool: Apple’s new Photos Clean Up tool lets you erase photo-bombers or distracting objects from your photos making it look like they were never there. You can think of it as Apple’s answer to Google’s Magic Editor. That said, unlike Google, Apple’s take on photography is different focusing on capturing and retaining “actual” memories rather than conjuring them artificially—sole reason why photo regeneration isn’t at the top of its list.
- Rewrite and summarise text: Apple’s Rewrite feature allows you to create different versions of your written text, giving you helpful suggestions or letting you fine-tune it for specific people. Say for instance, it can help by setting up a more formal tone for your email. The proofreading feature checks your grammar and spellings while summarisation tool gets you all the deets from a long document in concise, easy to read language.
- It’s glowtime for Siri: Siri is getting a whole new look and feel with iOS 18.1. The brand-new animation that—now—stretches along the borders of your iPhone looks slick no doubt, but Siri’s improvements are more than just skin-deep this time. Apple Intelligence makes it smarter. It has improved context-awareness and it can keep up, even when you stumble over words or correct yourself mid-sentence. Alternatively, you can now type requests when you can’t speak aloud. Apple has also expanded its product knowledge and so, you can ask Siri detailed questions about using your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and it will guide you through, like a how-to manual.
