Apple has finally begun rolling out the highly anticipated iOS 18.4 update, which brings Apple Intelligence features to iPhones in India. While Apple Intelligence had already been available to users in the US, UK, Europe, and Canada, users in India and other regions will now have access to a wide array of AI-driven features that were initially delayed after their announcement at WWDC 2024. The rollout, however, is not universal; only select iPhone models can benefit from Apple Intelligence, specifically the iPhone 16 series (including iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max) and the iPhone 15 Pro models (iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max).
Eligible iPhone users in India will be able to take advantage of several advanced features by updating to iOS 18.4. This update unlocks tools like Writing Tools, which can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text across a variety of apps, including Mail, Messages, Notes, and third-party applications. Smart Reply also makes responding to messages easier by providing quick response suggestions, and the Clean Up feature allows users to remove unwanted objects from photos. Genmoji enables the creation of personalized emojis, adding a fun and interactive element to the Messages app and other Apple applications. Additionally, the Photos app now includes natural language search, making it easier to find specific images, as well as the Memories feature that generates video compilations based on written descriptions.
Users will also see significant improvements in Siri, Apple's virtual assistant, which now includes a new interface, expanded language capabilities, and the ability to understand and maintain context across multiple interactions. Siri can even answer questions related to Apple product features and settings, further enhancing the user experience. In addition to Siri improvements, Apple Intelligence introduces Visual Intelligence, allowing users to leverage their iPhone camera to learn more about objects in their environment. For instance, by pointing the camera at a flower, the feature can provide details about the flower’s name, ideal growing conditions, and care instructions. To trigger Visual Intelligence, iPhone 16 models can use the Capture button, while iPhone 15 Pro models and iPhone 16e users can press the Action button.
Another significant update is the addition of system-wide support for 10 Indian languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, and Marathi, on the iPhone 16 series. This means users can not only type and chat in their preferred language but also see all system settings and notifications, such as the Calendar, Settings app, and lock screen, in their chosen language. This makes the iPhone experience more accessible and localized for Indian users.
Moreover, Apple has integrated ChatGPT into Siri and the Writing Tools, allowing users to leverage ChatGPT for tasks such as content generation and image analysis. Users can enable this feature without requiring a ChatGPT account, and Apple assures that user data is protected through privacy measures, including IP address masking. As for the Notes and Phone apps, both have been updated with new transcription and summarization features, allowing users to transcribe audio recordings and generate summaries of important points. In addition, the Mail app now includes Priority Messages, highlighting urgent emails, and Smart Reply, which provides automatic response suggestions based on email content.
Another standout feature is the improved notification management system. Priority Notifications now highlight time-sensitive messages, while notification summaries consolidate information from multiple alerts into a single, easily digestible update. The new Reduce Interruptions mode filters out non-essential notifications to ensure users are only alerted to the most important ones.
Apple has made it clear that Apple Intelligence operates with a strong focus on privacy. Many features rely on on-device processing to ensure that user data is not compromised. For more complex tasks, Apple employs Private Cloud Compute to process information securely on its own servers, maintaining the integrity of user privacy.
The phased rollout of iOS 18.4 means that not all eligible users will receive the update at the same time. Users can check for the update by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update on their devices. While most users should see the update immediately, others may need to wait a few hours or days for it to be available on their devices. The introduction of Apple Intelligence marks a major leap forward for Apple’s AI capabilities, offering a host of new tools that promise to enhance productivity, creativity, and overall user experience on iPhones.
