iOS 18 AI features to be released as “Beta” or “Preview”: Apple analyst

tech.hindustantimes.com:

The WWDC event is just a few days away and with each day passing, the anticipation about Apple's AI move is creating much curiosity. So far, it was revealed that Apple has signed a deal with OpenAI. However, it is still eyeing Google's Gemini model. Now, Apple analyst Mark Gurman has revealed some details about the upcoming iOS 18 update and its AI features which will likely be announced as a “Beta” or “Preview” version. Know more about what's coming ahead of WWDC 2024.

According to Gurman's Bloomberg report, the iOS 18 update and its AI features are expected to be released as a Beta or a preview version before its official rollout in September. The soft release may also hint that Apple's AI revolution is not completely prepared for public use. Apple is already running behind in terms of introducing AI to its devices. However, the company is planning for something big this year to compete among brands such as Google and Samsung. While Google's AI move has taken a U-turn with its image generation tool and now AI overview, Apple is much more conscious about its late but upcoming AI revolutions.

Gurman also highlighted that the AI features for iOS 18 are not, “yet fully baked.” However, there are several speculations about AI powering major iOS apps such as Safari, Notes, Messages, Siri and others. Additionally, we may also see features such as voice memo transcription, Spotlight features, emails and text suggestions, and more. Apple is also reported to be working on “generative AI to emojis” which is expected to allow users to create their custom emojis. “That means you'll suddenly have an all-new emoji for any occasion, beyond the catalog of options that Apple currently offers on the iPhone and other devices,” said Gurman.

However, it is not clear how Apple is planning to showcase all these iOS 18 features during the WWDC event considering its year-long delay. Now, the question is will Apple leave the leading brands behind? Or does it still have much work to do? We will