AI-Infused iOS 18 Lauded as 'Ambitious and Compelling' by Apple Execs

[GuruZac]

I get what you're saying but AI is really demanding so they might need to limit it to new models. 8GB RAM on the iPhone 15 Pro Max might not be enough depending what features Apple is going to add. I'll be interested to see what kind of RAM the iPhone 16 Pro models come with next year.

Well, the Google Pixel’s AI is well beyond Apple’s and they’ve been doing it better for several years, long before the Pixel had 8GB of RAM.

 

[Voenix Rising]

Personally I'm waiting for iOS 36 and the iPhone 30. Nothing less will satisfy.

 

[Realityck]

The company is racing to catch up with Google and OpenAI in generative AI, and iOS 18 is poised to bring such technology to the iPhone.

Very speculative article on Apple OS’s from the guy who never knows much about Apples OS’s. There have been several articles that have generally ended up negatively concerning AI from other tech companies. Apple has generally said they use AI in ways that assist the OS operation instead of learning about users tastes/habits that others are known to be doing to the extent it violates security or privacy. This last year has seen lots of criticism concerning how poor Siri is in some regards, likely the basis for this rumor and very much a one of these days maybe they will advance it topic.

 

[Hank001]

Siri can't even tell the Date/Time and the weather with Shortcuts without stuttering (German language).
Bug isn't fixed since years.

It took years to fix this bug:
"Siri, call Susi" -> "Can't find Susie in your contact list"

My hopes for useful Siri are ending.

Similar at my end: I ask Siri:

"Call Mr. and Mrs. Jones"

- Sorry, I can only call one person at a time.

This while there is only one contactcard for Jones in my Contacts, with just their home number.

 

[LogicalApex]

This paragraph is highly enlightning to me. So Apple engineers the software for each chip separately? They first build the OS for M1, then M2, then M3? That's not going to scale well. Also the "software engineering management team" is searching for bugs themselves? No quality assurance team? That explains a lot... Also that fixing bugs is not part of development explains why Apple often doesn't fix bugs for years...

They do a lot of artificially limiting features to certain devices. So you end up with them having to deal with the bloat of that segmentation.

Similar to how the iPhone 14 Pro lacks support for the new “35mm” and whatnot zoom presets that the iPhone 15 Pro has. Or the ability to do the latest Smart HDR even though the camera hardware is identical between the two devices.

 

[sflagel]

Folks, don't get all worked-up over the now tired but entirely predictable tutti-fruitti, phoney-baloney, plastic banana, good time rock-n-roll Apple PR "leaks." This is all very intentionally done to create "excitement" and "set the narrative" that Apple is incredibly bleeding edge. When the OS is released, we'll hear the same trite, scripted phrases: "all new," "best ever," "most powerful," "fastest," "whole new level," "can't wait to see," etc. Apple makes good products, so why they need to continue this kind of nonsense is beyond me. Let the products speak for themselves.

Apple used to make fun of Microsoft and Intel and all the specs porn they used, now all the Apple presentations are just specs specs specs. "Magic" vanishes the moment you know how the trick works.

 

[mrfunnypenguin]

Exciting! Just hopefully these new features are not restricted to the just latest models.

 

[nfl46]

Sorry but those features will only be available on the iPhone 16 Pro series. Lol. It's Apple's way of getting you to upgrade. It needs to be on their most powerful chip ever.

 

[spcopsmac21]

What I REALLY want them to fix is this "waiting for animation to end"-bs.
It's really annoying. I know the phone can be faster. For example when you wake the phone and want to quickly swipe to the widgets on the lock screen, you always have to wait like a second/it's unresponsive for a second. I know I am the only one maybe but it's so annoying. Its in other places to. I think my a17 pro could handle it a bit faster.

it’s the optimization of the OS. It’s not the phone. I think as the new iOS progresses that widget issue will resolve.
My 14PM does the same thing with widgets. I’m fine with it cause I don’t use any of them. The Dynamic Island makes up for it on the widget side. But completely rips its sheen away when I want to play a game or watch any type of media and I have Hal-9000 staring at me taking a snap shot of me every 4 seconds and using my screen realestate like it pays rent.

 

[Realityck]

Exciting! Just hopefully these new features are not restricted to the just latest models.

Maybe not the latest models but certainly the models created since Apple moved away from the Intel platform.

Apple’s Neural Engine is Cupertino’s name for its own neural processing unit (NPU). Such processors are also known as Deep Learning Processors, and handle the algorithms behind AI, augmented reality and machine learning (ML).

 

[spcopsmac21]

Sorry but those features will only be available on the iPhone 16 Pro series. Lol. It's Apple's way of getting you to upgrade. It needs to be on their most powerful chip ever.

Kinda like the finger tap gesture on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 that I’ve had day one on my Apple Watch Ultra 1. They toted it as a feature of the new watch when I have had it via accessibility out of box on the ultra 1.
Im a disabled vet and use the tap feature and haptic features to help me daily. I have advanced neuropathy and loss of feeling in my arms and legs. But this tap feature and haptic feedback work.

 

[Hoyboy]

I get what you're saying but AI is really demanding so they might need to limit it to new models. 8GB RAM on the iPhone 15 Pro Max might not be enough depending what features Apple is going to add. I'll be interested to see what kind of RAM the iPhone 16 Pro models come with next year.

Of course, Apple could just send everything to their servers to process instead of doing it on device.

But your point...yeah I hope they can bring as many features as possible to all supported devices. We'll see.

If 8gb of ram isn’t enough then I’d be interested to see how they are gonna spin it with regards to the 8gb 14” MacBook Pro they just released not being good enough to run it

 

[mrhick01]

They would never ever ever ever admit this, or allow it to be even suspected. But I’d be amazed there wasn’t an off the record discussion that Apple Silicon, specifically the neural processing part, would be a way to dump support for an entire generation of Macs. And sell another generation of Macs.

But this is business… environmental considerations are secondary to making money. Until it isn’t. But then it’s too late.

Doesn't Apple have a recycling program for all of their devices?

 

[xxFoxtail]

Do they not plan to update iPadOS as well?

The iPad will get it a year after the iPhone

 

[CloneBB]

I use Siri everyday. As long as I speak clearly it works great 90% of the time. Yes, it could be improved, but for me and my 40+ home automation (light switches, serena shades, thermostats, air purifier, outlets, etc) I have no issues.

 

[Rogifan]

I’m calling it right now: they’ll never use the words “generative AI”. They’ll come up with some Apple marketing term for it.

 

[chickeneaster]

One of the things that are on my list to change for the new OSs is to change the UI like how they did in iOS 7. If people were getting bored with the UI from iOS 1-6, then we definitely needed to see a UI change from the iOS 7 design. Feels kinda old now; I'd love to see something like the old iOS 6 design

 

[Radin.Y]

Can't wait for Siri to get even better at saying "Here's what I found on the web."

It is ESPECIALLY annoying when I am busy cooking, hands fully involved with some raw chicken, and the HomePod wants me to pick up my phone and ask Siri again. 🤦‍♂️

 

[CarAnalogy]

It's all good. Just don't artificially limit features to the latest iPhones, or Pro models.

Exactly. After what they pulled with Siri and the watch this generation, I'm definitely holding off all hardware purchases. Can't wait to be told next Fall how amazing this year's Neural Engine is. I know we said that last year but seriously this time!

 

[CarAnalogy]

Not being argumentative here, genuine question: what is it your care about? Can you give an example of something good you think it might do? I'd like to be excited, but like another poster said I fear it's just going to be gimmicky crap.

Currently, gimmicky crap is a great description of Siri. It's been the butt of jokes for a decade now, and until last year it looked like Apple was happy just sticking their fingers in their ears and pretending Siri is great, or even works most of the time.

But at this point Siri is such an embarrassment they either need to get rid of it completely, or do what they are rumored to be doing.

 

[TrenttonY]

I hope the Photos.app gets some AI upscaling ability.

 

[appleCakes]

Siri is a joke.
Apple AI is a joke.
Apple whole Machine Learning is a joke.
This guy is a joke: https://www.apple.com/leadership/john-giannandrea/
Compare his achievements with Srouji/silicon and tell me why he should not be kicked out.

Nobody has ever bought any Apple’s product because of their AI. Some may have even given up on their devices because of Siri. This will not change without meaningful change to ML leadership, and rethinking the balance between privacy and learning. Learning can still be private, but Apple has held privacy hostage as a marketing tool. Siri’s failure is bigger than Apple Maps failure in its early days, for which Tim Cook had to apologize.

 

[jwdsail]

Apple internally believes its iOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, and tvOS 18 updates next year will be "ambitious and compelling," thanks to major new software features and designs in the works for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Mac. That's according to the latest information relayed by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.

While little is known about the specifics, many of the changes are believed to involve generative AI, including a smarter version of Siri that takes the virtual assistant's integration with the operating systems to a new level. According to the leaker @Tech_Reve, Apple is relying on large-language models (LLMs) to completely revamp Siri and make it the "ultimate virtual assistant" and "Apple's most powerful killer AI app."

Apple is reportedly working on revamped interaction between ‌Siri‌ and the Messages app, enabling users to field complex questions and auto-complete sentences more effectively, according to Gurman. We may also see auto-generated Apple Music playlists and integration with productivity apps like Pages and Keynote, such as AI-assisted writing and slide deck creation.

Apple is said to be on course to spend $1 billion per year on AI research, with some of the company's biggest executive names overseeing development. Indeed, Gurman says the company is "racing to catch up with Google and OpenAI" in the generative AI space, and with few major iPhone 16 hardware advances on the cards next year, the stakes are even higher. As a result, Gurman believes iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 could be "groundbreaking" relative to updates in the last few years.

With so much riding on the outcome, however, Apple is said to be taking a particularly cautious approach to its software development. Recently we learned that all development on future features was paused within Apple to allow its engineers to work solely on improving the existing software.

According to Gurman, Apple last month finished the first "M1" versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15, but the software engineering management team found too many bugs that were missed in internal testing, so a week was set aside to address the issues. Development has since resumed, but Apple is still said to be debating whether to deploy its new generative AI technology via the cloud, as an on-device experience, or a mixture of both.

Apple is expected to reveal its LLM-powered version of Siri at WWDC 2024 during its iOS 18 developer preview, although other generative AI features it is working on could be exclusive to iPhone 16 models and therefore may not be revealed until Apple launches its next-generation flagship smartphones in September 2024.

Article Link: AI-Infused iOS 18 Lauded as 'Ambitious and Compelling' by Apple Execs

I guess all of that is great and all, but what I really want is better situational/contextual use for Map and Reminders?

"Siri, remind me to stop at (Store name here) the next time I'm driving East on HWY X within 5mi of the store".

"Siri, find directions to the race track that avoids interstates, and toll roads, but not US or state highways."

"Siri, let me know when I'm within 10mi of the next gas station or rest stop."


Those improvements would finally make Siri... useful to me?

Better integration with AppleTV (hardware) as well?

"Siri, what services that I'm currently subscribed to have motorsports on right now?"

"Siri, what time does the IMSA race start today, and what streaming app is it on, YouTubeTV or Peacock?"

If they can do even 75% of this full list... Siri will finally be useful for me in my life?


I'm not going to hold my breath.


apple.com/feedback

 

[Fraserpatty]

At some point it failed so many times I gave up all together. Actually now with typing in my grocery list it can suggest past entries. I find it pretty quick especially with multiple items.

But I digress, Siri can do more than I give it credit for yet a lot of users have been asking for improvements for a long time. Hopefully Apple’s careful approach results in a superior product in the end.

I seem to recall Apple saying that the more you use Siri, the better it gets. When people give up after a time or two, they never give Siri enough time to be trained as to what to say. If that’s true, use Siri for a whole year on your device and she should be better than at the beginning of the year, although I never did get her to spell my sister’s name correctly after correcting it many many multiples of times.

 

[Sippincider]

"Apple's most powerful killer AI app."

Apple, focus on delivering it first. On time, bug-free, and hopefully not a laughingstock.

Then consider congratulating yourselves on how powerful it is…