AI is turning into a long game for Apple
Rejoice, Apple Intelligence has finally arrived! If you have a compatible device (more on that later) you can now upgrade to iOS 18.1, iPad OS 18.1 or macOS Sequoia 15.1 and get your first sampling of the update Apple says will “introduce a new chapter in Apple innovation.”
That sounds pretty impressive, doesn’t it? Which is why you might feel a little bit underwhelmed when you first install Apple Intelligence. Don’t get me wrong, the potential for Apple Intelligence is still huge, but after such a strong billing by the Cupertino company what you actually get in the most recent update feels more like a good start, but ultimately, underwhelming. In iOS 18.1 you get Writing Tools for proofreading, rewriting, and summarization, Notification summaries, Clean Up in Photos, and a redesigned Siri.Hey Siri, don’t make it bad
Yes, Siri now looks different, but it doesn’t behave any differently. Whisper those intimate words, “Hey, Siri” lovingly at your iPhone now and the whole edge of the screen will glow like a multi-colored mating call that reminds me a bit of having a migraine. Subtle it isn’t, but unfortunately Siri is not any smarter than it used to be. Sure, it can still time your boiled eggs, but ask it anything more complex and it immediately reverts to sicking up a platter of, “Here’s what I found on the web”, search results. We’re supposed to be getting proper ChatGPT integration into Siri too, but it’s not here yet.
