Apple has announced that its upcoming artificial intelligence (AI) features have been delayed and will not be included in the first release of software updates for new iPhones and iPads. The AI features, known as Apple Intelligence, will be available to customers in October, a few weeks after the release of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 in September. However, Apple will make the AI features available to software developers for early testing through iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 betas.
According to Bloomberg, the decision to delay the introduction of the AI features is aimed at ensuring a smooth release to consumers and addressing concerns about the stability of the technology. By giving developers time to test and iron out any issues, Apple hopes to avoid major bugs and glitches. The company also plans to release multiple updates to iOS 18 over the next few years to introduce the full set of Apple Intelligence features.
Apple Intelligence includes a variety of features, including notification prioritization, webpage and voice memo summaries, a writing tool, an improved Siri, and integration of ChatGPT from OpenAI. However, even with the release of AI features in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, some features are still missing, such as major changes to Siri.
The delayed release of Apple Intelligence comes as the tech giant looks to compete in the fast-growing AI field. The company believes the new features will help boost sales of the upcoming iPhone 16 models, which are expected to have minimal design changes. With software-related enhancements and faster chips, Apple hopes to attract customers with the AI capabilities of its new products.
PYMNTS reported on major developments and competition between tech giants and startups in the AI field. Microsoft’s Bing is introducing generative search capabilities to compete with Google’s AI-powered services. OpenAI also unveiled a prototype called SearchGPT, which aims to enhance information search capabilities. The emergence of AI-powered delivery bots such as Vayu Robotics is transforming e-commerce logistics by promising to reduce delivery costs. In addition, AI startup World Labs, founded by AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li, became a unicorn with a valuation of $1 billion in just four months. The company focuses on helping computers understand the 3D world. The integration of edge computing and AI is also gaining momentum, with potential applications in retail and manufacturing.
As the AI boom continues, regulators are rushing to adapt and address potential antitrust issues. Competition watchdogs in the US, EU and UK are working together to address concerns about market concentration and anti-competitive practices in the AI industry. They are particularly focused on scrutinizing the control of significant AI resources and investments of tech giants. However, Meta has expressed concerns about the EU’s strict AI regulations, warning that they could create a potential “technology gap” between Europe and the rest of the world.
