Apple Intelligence is set to release next week, as Apple has confirmed that iOS 18.1 and AirPods Pro 2' hearing health features will begin rolling out next week at some point.
Apple confirmed in a press release that the AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid upgrade, which requires iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, will be available to the public beginning next week. Putting two and two together means we'll be ushering in the Apple Intelligence era for iPhone and iPad very shortly.
You'll be able to access the first batch of Apple Intelligence features in these software updates, including Writing Tools for proofreading and rewriting, Smart Replies to quickly reply to messages, Notification Summaries, Clean Up in Photos, and a redesign of Siri.
Plus, if you have AirPods Pro 2, the earbuds can perform a hearing test and even act as FDA-approved over-the-counter hearing aids for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. Of course, you'll need to install that firmware update for AirPods alongside iOS 18.1 on your iPhone.
Apple Intelligence will work on some of the best iPhones, including the iPhone 16 lineup and the iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max. Unfortunately, iPhone users of devices as recent as the iPhone 15 will not get access to any of the features Apple Intelligence offers.
Apple had previously announced that Apple Intelligence would become available in October, but for owners of the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, waiting over a month to get the features on their new iPhones might still sting a little.
That said, now that we've got a better idea of when to expect Apple Intelligence, we can start to get excited about everything Apple's AI has to offer.
A new era
If you're waiting for some of the more exciting Apple Intelligence features like ChatGPT integration in Siri and the voice assistant's major overhaul with on-screen awareness and personal context, then you'll need to stay patient as we won't be using those for a while.
Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, and Visual Intelligence are set to arrive as part of iOS 18.2, which should enter beta in the next month or so. Apple has said all of these features are coming "later this year," so considering there are only about two months left in 2024, we should get our hands on these AI tools soon. Siri's overhaul, on the other hand, won't be available until 2025.
Next week's release date is only for US English, with other parts of the world needing to wait until December to get their hands on Apple Intelligence. While you can easily change your device's language, you might find Apple Intelligence will struggle – trust me, it doesn't cope well with Scottish slang! As for Apple users in the EU, we still have no information on whether you'll be getting AI features.
Check out our iOS 18.1 Apple Intelligence hands-on to get a rundown of everything you'll be able to use at some point next week, as well as our deep dive into the AirPods Pro 2's hearing health features here. If you're looking for a new Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone, check out our iPhone 16 review.
