It’s the day iPhone owners this side of the pond have been waiting for: Apple Intelligence has arrived in the UK, having graced US Apple devices since October.
The first bits and bobs of Apple Intelligence are now available on iPhone, iPad and Mac. But you will need a software update to make use of them, so check your device’s settings menu if a notification hasn’t popped-up already.
iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2 are the software updates we’re looking for here.
These updates bring more AI features than you might expect too, if you heard Apple Intelligence won’t roll-out fully until 2025. That’s still true, but some of these new titbits are absolutely worth checking out. Let’s take a quick peek at the highlights.
In the Photos app you can use more natural language to corral your images.
You could already search for “cats” or “sunsets” beforehand — and have been able to do so far ages. But Apple Intelligence will let us tap out things like “snowy walk up the mountain” and see relevant images. Or “Graham in that terrible green suit.” Sorry, Graham...
iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 arrive today
iOS 18.2 also introduces us to Image Playground. This is an image generation tool, using either a text prompt or an image from your own photo library as the lead inspiration.
Ever wondered what your brother would look like clenched in the jaws of a great white shark? Fingers crossed, Image Playground might oblige (it may come a cropper of the system’s sensible content guidelines, though).
Images can be generated to look more like illustrations, too.
Or if you want to turn a sketch into a more polished image, you need Image Wand. You draw a circle around your own drawing, and Apple Intelligence will attempt to redraw it as a more presentable version. Add a written word in that circle, and it'll use that as context for how to refine the end result.
The Apple Intelligence image feature we imagine we’ll use the most is something more prosaic, though: Clean Up. This lets you remove blemishes and unwanted objects from pics, even if those unwanted objects are entire people.
We’ve had similar tech in Android phones for ages. And while it can amount to a rewriting of history when you do this to your holiday photos, it’s definitely a useful feature, particularly if you've been rudely photobombed by pranksters.
iOS 18.2 also brings Genmoji, where you can make fresh emoji based on a quick text description. This is, from our own “wave a finger in the air” vibe check, one of the most awaited Apple Intelligence features. We’ve a little longer to wait for Genmoji to come to MacOS, though. It’s iPhone and iPad only for now.
iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 arrive today
The update also brings Apple’s own take on the stuff you may have seen elsewhere in AI software. It will rewrite emails or sections of essays, can proofread your written content and make suggestions, and summarise any documents and emails that come your way.
It’s all familiar stuff, but now it has put down roots in Apple’s software for phones, tablets and Mac computers.
Siri gets an AI update too, to make your interactions sound and feel more natural. But Siri is one of the key areas set for more improvement in 2025.
The assistant won’t yet be able to factor in things it knows about you or what’s going on on-screen. But that’s coming.
These Apple Intelligence features are available for the iPhone 16 family, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. iPads with the M1 chipset or A17 Pro can get onboard. And any MacBooks or Macs with the Apple M1 chipset or newer are invited.