The iOS 18.1 update scheduled for next week will whet your appetite for Apple intelligence features, bringing with it a revolution that Apple promises and that CEO Tim Cook claims could “significantly change” life. Not really.
However, it’s a different story with iOS 18.2, with the first beta released to developers today, and the general public likely to have access to the beta in the coming weeks. Full rollout is expected by the end of the year.
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With this version, users with access through an Apple Developer account now have access for the first time to a new suite of image generation capabilities that Apple calls Image Playground. It also includes the ability to generate your own emojis through Genmoji. This will allow you to create emojis like “Tyrannosaurus wearing a tutu and riding a surfboard” through a keyboard prompt.
You can also generate a Genmoji for one of your contacts using their photo. Your photo library knows exactly what that person looks like, so you can make a fashion look like your mother in a cape.
Image Playground, on the other hand, is a more robust image generation tool. You will be asked to describe the image you want. You may choose the person on which the image will be based and the style of the image you want to generate. You’ll be able to choose themes, costumes, accessories, locations, and more.
This beta also introduces the highly controversial (and opt-in) ChatGPT integration within Siri and within the writing tools that Apple provides within iOS 18.1.
If you have an iPhone 16, Visual Intelligence tools will also be available in iOS 18.2 beta. This feature works a bit like Google Lens’ visual search technology, making use of new camera control buttons. When your camera’s shutter screen is open, this feature uses AI to tell you more about what’s in the frame. For example, you can use a photo of a dog to find out its breed.
Finally, iOS 18.2 introduces native support for Apple Intelligence in language settings other than English (US). British English is one of the newly supported languages, and when iOS 18.2 arrives, Brits will no longer need to switch their language to “American” to access Apple Intelligence features.
