iOS 18.1 Update Expected To Arrive With Apple Intelligence Features

After showing what to expect from iPad mini, Apple also announced that the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 updates would arrive before the end of October. With those updates, consumers are expected to get their hands on the first group of Apple Intelligence features.

The iPad Mini 7 was launched in a press release. Within the text, Apple wrote, "The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in U.S. English this month through a free software update with iPadOS 18.1, and available for iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later."

The new iPad mini is available for pre-order and will be fully available on 23 October 2024 which is AI-capable with the integrated A17 Pro chip.

These are expected to be coming together with Apple Intelligence:

• Writing tools: These tools will be available in any app where you can write with Apple Intelligence acting as your editor. The tools can be used for spelling and grammar check and suggest rewrites based on a chosen tone. The tools will also give AI-summaries.
• Photo features: Apple is adding three new tools in the Photos app; Clean Up, which erases unwanted people and objects; Memory Movie that creates slideshows from your library based on written prompts; and natural language search in the photos library.
• Summaries: Similar to the writing tools, Summaries adds auto-generated blurbs or transcriptions of audio recordings from phone calls or within the upgraded iOS 18 Notes.
• Siri: Version 2.0 of Siri won't totally be available until iOS 18.4 releases, but Siri is getting some improvements in iOS 18.1 including troubleshooting Apple devices and stronger responses to follow-up questions.
• Mail: In the Mail app iOS 18.1 is introducing email summaries, smart replies for fast responses and priority messages, which will highlight important emails and offer calls to action. Later this year, the app will also get new categories including receipts, deals, newsletters and personal messages.

However, based on the press release, the updates will be coming to Apple devices through a software update and not available right out of the box. This could mean that the actual release date is on October 24th.

Strangely, Apple has been delaying the releases of majorly hyped features for their latest flagship devices, but it appears they are finally coming.