Apple Inc.’s next AI features will arrive later than expected, missing the initial launch of its upcoming iPhone and iPad software redesigns but giving the company more time to fix bugs.
Apple plans to roll out Apple Intelligence to customers as part of software updates scheduled through October, according to people familiar with the matter. That means the AI features will arrive a few weeks after the first versions of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, scheduled for September, said the people, who declined to be identified and discussed details of the unannounced release.
The iPhone maker, however, plans to make Apple Intelligence available to software developers for the first time for early testing as early as this week via the beta versions of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, they added. This strategy is atypical, as the company typically does not release previews of follow-up updates before the initial release of the new generation of software is publicly released.
The stakes are higher than usual. To ensure a smooth release of its big bet on artificial intelligence, Apple needs developer support to help it work out kinks and test features on a larger scale. Concerns about the stability of Apple Intelligence features partly led the company to separate the features from the initial launch of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.
Apple announced the new features and operating systems in June at its Worldwide Developers Conference, saying Apple Intelligence would debut as part of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. The new timeline means the AI capabilities won’t be widely available until a later update to the new operating system. An Apple spokesperson declined to comment.
The tech giant last week released a fourth beta of iOS 18.0 to developers and plans to complete development by the end of July. When Apple introduces new iPhones each September, the company includes the new software with them. That requires finishing the operating system several weeks early to allow time to install the software on the devices before shipping them out of the factory.
Apple Intelligence’s release plan raises the possibility that the first iPhone 16 models shipped to consumers this year will miss the new AI features and will require a software update a few weeks later. Apple Intelligence includes a range of features, including prioritization of key notifications, summaries of web pages and voice notes, tools to improve writing, a redesign of Siri, and OpenAI ChatGPT integration.
Even when Apple Intelligence launches with iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, it will be missing some features. That includes some of the biggest changes to Siri, like the ability to use device data to help with field queries and for the system to use what’s on a person’s screen to provide context for responses.
The company plans to roll out the full set of its Apple Intelligence features through multiple iOS 18 updates by the end of 2024 and into the first half of 2025, Bloomberg News reported. Beyond iPhone and iPad, Apple Intelligence will equip its Mac computers with internal Apple chips as part of macOS Sequoia. It is also in development for the Vision Probut a release for this device is not planned until later.
The tech giant is banking on Apple Intelligence to help it compete in the generative AI space that has taken the world by storm and disrupted professional and consumer devices over the past year. By limiting support to last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, Apple also believes the new features could help sell new iPhones this year.
The iPhone 16 lineup won’t have much to do with design change So software improvements — plus a new button to control the camera and a faster chip — will do the heavy lifting in selling the new models.
