The new iOS 18.1 — here is why it is worth upgrading even in Developer beta

The core of newly released iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 1 is the introduction of Apple Intelligence in iOS ecosystem.

These AI features, although are initially available on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max only, however, will also be supported on the iPhone 16 series upon the public release of iOS 18.1 in October. It is still not clear whether they will be available in earlier iPhones as well!

Here’s a list on major items of what’s new:

Phone Application: Call Recording and Transcription

This was good enough for me to upgrade. Even in developer beta, this actually works smooooothly.

• Call Recording:
• The phone app now supports recording calls, with a notification to the other party.
• Recorded calls are transcribed and saved to the Notes app, where users can view, summarize, and manage them in a dedicated folder.
• Transcription Details- Transcriptions include both the user’s and the other party’s dialogue, along with a summary of the conversation. It even differentiates different dialogues for respective username. However, this is limited to English language only.

Email Application Improvements

• Email Summaries:
• The email app now uses AI to provide a summary of emails in the preview text, helping users quickly understand the content without opening the email.
• Priority Emails:
• AI can identify and highlight priority emails, such as those needing urgent replies or shipment notifications, and display summaries on the lock screen or notification center.
• Smart Replies:
• When replying to emails, AI-generated smart replies offer contextually appropriate responses. Example: Choosing between a red or carbon fiber phone case.

AI Writing Tools

• Accessibility Across Applications:
• AI writing tools are accessible wherever the default keyboard is used, including Messages, Mail, and Notes.
• Proofreading and Rewriting:
• Options for proofreading and rewriting selected text, with the ability to make changes, revert, and view AI suggestions.
• Tone Adjustments:
• Users can change the tone of text to friendly, professional, or concise.
• Additional options include creating summaries, key points, lists, or tables from selected text.

Siri Enhancements

• New Siri UI:
• iOS 18.1 introduces a new full-screen Siri interface, replacing the previous small bubble.
• Users can now double-tap the bottom bar to bring up ‘Type to Siri’ for typing queries.
• Improved Context Understanding:
• While Siri 2.0, which understands personal context (contacts, calendar events), isn’t available in this beta, Siri can now maintain context between multiple requests.
• Example: Asking about driving to Yosemite National Park, followed by inquiries about temperature, humidity, and nearby food places, Siri maintains context and provides relevant information.
• Apple Product Knowledge:
• Siri now integrates Apple’s product knowledge base, providing step-by-step instructions for queries such as resetting an iPhone without redirecting to Safari.
• Enhanced Sentence Understanding:
• Siri can now better understand user queries, even if there’s a mid-sentence change or interruption like coughing.

Messages Application Upgrades

• Message Summaries:
• Similar to emails, the Messages app provides summaries of multiple unread messages, both in the app and on the lock screen/notification center.
• Smart Replies in Messages:
• AI-generated smart replies are integrated into message replies, offering quick, contextually relevant responses.

Focus Mode: Reduce Interruptions

• New Focus Mode:
• A new focus mode called ‘Reduce Interruptions’ limits notifications to only important ones.
• Users can customize this mode by adding/removing specific contacts or applications.

Photos Application: Memory Movies

• Creating Memory Movies:
• Users can create memory movies using AI by describing a memory, such as “my cat in the winter with no people.”
• AI compiles relevant photos and creates a movie, complete with a title and optional soundtrack.

Conclusion

Worth noting that this is just a first look at the AI features in iOS 18.1 Beta 1. I’ll keep updating on future upgrades and update all of you here.