The recent wave of AI advancements has brought forth a new era of smartphones, with Google and Samsung unveiling their respective AI-packed flagships. Google’s Pixel 8 lineup showcased an array of enhanced AI capabilities, and Samsung introduced its Galaxy S24 series with the integration of what it terms as Galaxy AI. Riding the AI momentum, industry enthusiasts are now eagerly anticipating Apple’s next move, particularly with the rumored iPhone 16 (unofficial name). While Apple has already integrated AI features into its iPhones, it seems the company is poised to amplify its AI capabilities with the upcoming iOS 18 – a software update that promises to be groundbreaking.
Mark Gurman’s November edition of the Power On newsletter hinted at iOS 18 delivering “relatively groundbreaking” updates, featuring “major new features and designs.” While specifics about iOS 18 remain under wraps, Apple traditionally unveils key details about its major software releases at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.
With iOS 17, Apple ventured into AI-powered features, including a voice cloning capability for Siri and an updated keyboard with enhanced autocorrect. However, the company stopped short of unveiling generative AI products comparable to Google’s Bard or OpenAI’s Chat GPT. The rumor mill is buzzing with expectations of significant changes in iOS 18, and here’s a glimpse of what users might anticipate.
One notable expectation is an enhancement in Siri’s intelligence. Siri, Apple’s voice-activated assistant since iOS 5 in 2011, is poised to become significantly smarter with the integration of generative AI technology. This improvement is anticipated to elevate Siri’s ability to handle questions and auto-complete sentences within the Messages app.
Another noteworthy feature anticipated in iOS 18 is improved texting capabilities with Android devices. Apple has expressed its intention to introduce RCS support, a cross-platform messaging standard, to the iPhone. This move is expected to bring iMessage-like features to the messaging experience between iPhone and Android users, including high-quality photo and video sharing, read receipts, typing indicators, and crucially, end-to-end encryption.
While details about iOS 18 are currently limited, the promise of groundbreaking updates and major new features suggests a significant leap forward in Apple’s AI integration. As we await further details, it’s essential to keep an eye on future announcements and developments, as Apple continues to shape the future of smartphone technology.
