Apple’s plan for a slow drip of Apple Intelligence features could mean users are waiting until at least January before the most-awaited Siri features go public.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Apple watcher Mark Gurman says it’ll be iOS 18.3 or iOS 18.4, which aren’t expected before January and March respectively, when the voice assistant gets the long-awaited generative AI overhaul.
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Gurman reports that while the useful Type To Siri feature, designed for when speaking to the assistant isn’t desired or feasible, will come in next month’s iOS 18.1, it’ll be at least a couple more months thereafter when Apple drops some of the headline Siri features that’ll really feel like next-generation AI.
In the newsletter, Gurman says: “Apple wants to get iOS 18.3 complete by the end of the year, setting the stage for a January release. The biggest iOS 18 update after iOS 18.1 will be iOS 18.4, which will include many of the new Siri features (some are in consideration for iOS 18.3, I’m told). That’s not scheduled to be released until March, following its completion in early February.”
Those advanced capabilities include on-screen awareness. So, as Apple explained at WWDC 24, you’ll be able to react to what’s currently being displayed on the iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
For example, if you get an address sent to you, you’ll be able to say “add this address” to a contact’s information. In photos, you’ll be able to say “add this photo” to an album, or to another application.
That’ll be available to third party apps that decide to use the new App Intents API. Also on deck for iOS 18.3 and 18.4 is the greater understanding of personal context.
At WWDC 2024 in June Apple used the example of “when is my mum’s flight landing?” which would consult the Mail app with the flight details. The device owner would also be able to ask “what is our lunch plan?” and scan the Messages conversation, pertaining to those plans. The user would also be able to ask when they should leave to get mum from the airport, recognising context from multiple apps.
