Apple has begun the public rollout of the AI features it markets as Apple Intelligence, but the launch is not arriving all at once for every device, region or feature. The first wave is tied to iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1, with other software updates arriving across Apple’s platforms at the same time.
The release also includes tvOS 18.1, visionOS 2.1 and watchOS 11.1. For iPhone, iPad and Mac users, the main story is the arrival of Apple Intelligence features such as writing tools, notification summaries and the “reduce interruptions” focus mode.
The first Apple Intelligence features are now available
After installing the update, users with supported devices in supported regions can join a waitlist to start using the initial Apple Intelligence tools. That means the update is necessary, but it is not the only requirement. Device support, location and language availability all matter.
The first set of tools focuses on common tasks that happen across apps: writing, reading notifications, searching photos and replying to messages. Apple’s iOS release notes describe Writing Tools as being available nearly everywhere a user types, with options to rewrite, proofread and summarize text inside the app already in use.
Those writing features are split into practical actions. Rewrite offers alternate versions of text, Proofread suggests grammar and language refinements, and Summarize can generate a summary from selected text. The emphasis is on reducing the amount of app-switching needed to clean up or condense writing.
Siri also changes in this release. Apple’s notes describe a new visual treatment with a glowing light around the edge of the screen, support for continuing to scroll or type while talking to Siri, and a Type to Siri option that appears when users double tap at the bottom of the screen.
Photos, Mail and Messages get the clearest app upgrades
Some of the most concrete Apple Intelligence changes appear inside apps people already use every day. Photos gains natural language search, which lets users look for photos and videos by describing what they want to find. It also adds the ability to create memory movies from a text prompt.
Photos also gets Clean Up, a tool described in the release notes as removing distractions in photos. The source article states that this can remove certain objects from the background in photos. Together, these features put search, memory creation and photo cleanup under the Apple Intelligence banner.
Mail and Messages receive summaries and Smart Reply. Smart Reply generates suggested responses based on context, while Mail can also prioritize messages that require attention by displaying them at the top of the inbox.
Notifications are another major part of the update. Notification summaries are designed to make alerts easier to scan, while Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus mode that lets urgent notifications through and silences possible distractions.
Notes also benefits from transcription summaries. Apple’s notes say these summaries can be created from the transcript of an audio recording or call recording.
Device and region limits shape the rollout
Apple Intelligence is not available on every device that can install the new operating system updates. The source states that all Apple Intelligence features require devices with either an A17 Pro, A18, A18 Pro, or M1 chip or later.
For iPhone, Apple’s release notes identify Apple Intelligence support for all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Some camera-related additions are also model-specific. Camera Control can quickly switch to the front TrueDepth Camera on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Spatial photo capture, alongside spatial video capture, is available in a new Spatial camera mode on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Region support is also limited. Users in the US can use the new Apple Intelligence features on all supported devices right away. Users in the European Union can use them only on macOS in US English for now, and Apple says Apple Intelligence will roll out to EU iPhone and iPad owners in April.
More AI features are still coming later
This release is the beginning of the Apple Intelligence rollout, not the complete package. Apple says many other features will arrive in an update this December. The listed additions include Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, visual intelligence and more.
Some features are planned for even later. The source specifically names Siri’s onscreen awareness as one of the Apple Intelligence capabilities that will come after the December update.
That staggered schedule matters because the Apple Intelligence label covers a wide range of features. The first update brings text tools, summaries, Siri changes and app-level additions, while some of the most recognizable generative and assistant features remain outside this initial release.
Other updates include AirPods Pro and TV app changes
The software releases also include updates outside Apple Intelligence. AirPods Pro, second generation and later, gain Hearing Test, Hearing Aid and Hearing Protection features.
Apple’s release notes say Hearing Test is intended for users 18 years or older. Hearing Aid is intended for users 18 years or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. Hearing Protection is available in the United States and Canada.
Those AirPods features require AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or later, and Apple notes that all features may not be available for all countries or regions.
watchOS and visionOS do not yet support Apple Intelligence, so their updates are mainly bug fixes and optimizations. tvOS is similar, but it adds a new “watchlist” view in the TV app that contains items users added themselves, separate from the continue watching feed that can include both manually added items and automatically added items from playback.
iOS 18.1 also brings smaller improvements and fixes. Control Center gets new options for adding connectivity controls individually and resetting a configuration. RCS Business Messaging can connect users with businesses over RCS when carrier support is available, and App Store search can use natural language.
Apple also lists fixes for Podcasts, 4K 60 video playback scrubbing in Photos, digital car keys after backup restore or direct iPhone transfer, and unexpected restarts on iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro models.