New AI, same Apple: Are users finally getting what they asked for?

As someone who has been an Apple user for decades, I must say that the rollout of Apple Intelligence has left me feeling a bit conflicted. On one hand, I appreciate Apple’s commitment to security and gradual release strategy, having seen the benefits it brought with features like iCloud and Apple Pay. However, as a tech enthusiast who eagerly awaited this AI leap, the current experience feels underwhelming compared to the hype that preceded it.

Will Apple’s venture into Artificial Intelligence truly make a significant difference for users, or is it merely going to skim the surface of technological advancements? This question arises as Apple Intelligence boasts grand promises.

Apple formally stepped into the realm of artificial intelligence on October 28, unveiling Apple Intelligence – a collection of innovative tools aimed at enhancing functionality across iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers, for a more convenient user experience.

🥳 Introducing Apple’s Smart Suite! Beginning today, you can accomplish even more across iPhone, iPad, and Mac with our latest innovative features. These include enhanced Writing Utilities, a chattier Siri, smart photo analysis, and much more. Welcome to the start of an exhilarating new phase!
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) October 28, 2024

In the newest update, Apple offers a variety of captivating features, including upgraded writing assistance, an improved Siri for smoother dialogues, and photo editing wonders that enable users to erase objects effortlessly by tapping.

But, despite Apple’s usual “it just works” charm, early adopters are finding a few wrinkles: a staggered rollout, a waitlist for access, and some unintentionally funny notification summaries.

Let’s dive into what’s really under the hood and what it might mean for everyday users.

Table of Contents

What is Apple Intelligence, and how can it really help?

As a crypto investor, I find the advancements made by Apple Intelligence particularly intriguing. Instead of just providing AI tools for common tasks such as writing, managing notifications, or photo editing, Apple is taking a unique approach. Unlike other tech giants, they are not simply offering these tools; they are redefining their integration and application.

While companies like Samsung and Google are working on making AI available across a broad spectrum, Apple appears to be prioritizing a more personalized user experience in its rollouts.

Fundamentally, Apple’s Intelligent Suite offers functionalities such as Writing Aids to help you craft more refined messages, emails, and notes. If you find yourself needing a concise summary of extended message conversations or a swift proofread before email dispatch, now you can utilize these tools seamlessly across various applications.

The feature even provides explanations for suggested changes, which can be useful for anyone looking to sharpen their writing or fix simple errors on the go.

Instead of ChatGPT and similar AI tools that can generate entire paragraphs or collaborate creatively, Apple’s Writing Tools function more as helpful editors rather than co-authors.

New Siri on the block

In an update, Apple’s digital assistant, Siri, has been given a modernized design. Now, Siri is better equipped to handle conversational speech, making it less strict about grammar and more understanding if you pause or change your sentence during conversation.

There’s even a Type to Siri option, where you can silently type out requests instead of speaking out loud, which can be handy in quiet settings.

Initial assessments indicate that while Siri has made progress, it still needs more development to effectively manage intricate jobs such as locating particular web-based data or proposing alternative recipes.

While it’s making progress, Siri isn’t quite at the level where it could fully replace a Google search or specialized chatbots as an AI assistant just yet.

Photo editing magic

One standout feature is Apple’s Clean Up Tool in Photos. If a stranger accidentally photobombs your vacation snap, you can tap and remove them in seconds.

The AI takes care of adding the backdrop autonomously, but some initial users have pointed out that it’s not always flawless – there may be instances of faint blur spots or smears which might hint at post-production.

As someone who spends countless hours editing and retouching photos for both personal and professional purposes, I can confidently say that this built-in photo fix tool feels like a game changer. It has significantly streamlined my workflow, eliminating the need to switch between various apps or software to achieve the desired results. The convenience of having all the necessary editing tools at my fingertips is invaluable, especially when working under tight deadlines. It’s a feature that not only saves me time but also enhances the overall quality of my work. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to make quick and efficient photo edits without any hassle.

Priority notifications and reduce interruptions

Apple Introduces Important Alerts and a Mode for Minimizing Distractions, both utilizing AI to sift through notifications, focusing on delivering crucial updates while filtering out unnecessary interruptions in real-time.

For example, an important work email may appear as the first item in your inbox, whereas a friendly message from a friend can often be condensed or summarized.

Despite the assorted responses from users, certain summaries have unexpectedly elicited humor, such as the instance where a breakup message was inadvertently made light of.

As a researcher involved in the development of Apple Intelligence, I am excited to share that our initial rollout doesn’t aspire to be the most potent AI package available, but rather, we are committed to streamlining daily tasks and prioritizing user privacy above all else.

Device compatibility and the waitlist experience

Apple’s new intelligence software is now accessible, however, due to compatibility limitations and progressive rollout of features, there could be a delay if you’re eager to experience it right away today. Not all devices can support this update, and not all features become instantly active upon installation.

Apple is opting for a gradual, geographically limited launch of Apple Intelligence, starting with the United States and some English-speaking territories initially. Users in other parts of the world may need to wait until 2025 for full access, causing some frustration among them.

Just the more recent devices, specifically those with M1 chips or later versions, can utilize Apple Intelligence. Regrettably, this feature is not accessible for a number of iPhone, iPad, and Mac users who own older models.

This pertains to the following iPhone models: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max (for iPhones).

Apple’s Intelligent system works well on iPad Pro models released from M1 and beyond, as well as the iPad Air versions that also have an M1 chip or later.

For Mac users, the required devices include: MacBook Air with M1 chip or later, MacBook Pro with M1 chip or later, iMac with M1 chip or later, Mac mini with M1 chip or later, Mac Studio with M1 Max chip or later, and Mac Pro with M2 Ultra chip.

In order to get access, users who own devices that are compatible should initially download and install the most recent operating system update (either iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1). Afterward, they need to sign up for a waitlist to activate Apple Intelligence.

Users who join early may find themselves waiting anywhere from a short while to an extended period, with some regions requiring adjustments to the device’s language and regional settings to English (United States) in order to register.

This approach isn’t fresh – Apple followed a similar pattern by introducing elements such as iCloud and Apple Pay, first focusing on securing and stabilizing these features before making them available to the general public.

Apple taking a different AI path

Though Apple Intelligence has already made a powerful entrance, it still holds several exciting attributes that are yet to be revealed.

As an analyst, I’m excited to share that by December, we can anticipate the addition of two innovative features in our upcoming OS update. The first is Genmoji, a tool that empowers users like us to design personalized emojis. Secondly, there’s Image Playground, a feature that magically transforms text prompts into captivating illustrations.

Furthermore, Apple is planning to debut a new feature called Visual Recognition, which offers immediate details about items or locations using your camera.

On the other hand, unlike rivals such as Samsung and Google who focus on swift and extensive AI launches, Apple seems to adopt a more cautious, step-by-step strategy.

Samsung’s Galaxy AI tools offer support for various languages and can be found on devices released from 2022. Meanwhile, Apple Intelligence is only accessible in certain areas and exclusively in one language at this time.

A gradual introduction could give Apple’s products an air of exclusivity, associated with premium quality, which is typically available only on the latest gadgets and tailored to ensure a smoother, more refined user interaction.

The buzz and the backlash

The rollout of Apple Intelligence by Apple has caused annoyance among early users, as they’ve discovered that the actual performance falls short of the exaggerated expectations.

Apple deserves recognition for prioritizing security significantly. They are willing to reward anyone who manages to penetrate their AI servers with a sum of up to one million dollars.

Apple will pay up to $1M to anyone that can hack into their AI servers
— Culture Crave 🎃 (@CultureCrave) October 28, 2024

The reward acknowledges the vital role played by the wider group of ethical hackers and security experts, who often help identify potential weaknesses before they become public issues. However, despite the praise for security measures, many users have expressed disappointment upon gaining access to Apple’s Intelligence, which seems to contradict their expectations.

The process of releasing an update that necessitates users to install it before they can join a queue, often causing frustration, has been frequently criticized, leading many to describe it as “an isolated mass of discarded items.

Man I got scammed. Did the update and still have to join a waitlist. Apple AI is a floating island of trash.
— Mike Dizzll (@MikeDizzll) October 28, 2024

Some people find the outcome disappointing compared to their expectations for an “AI revolution,” labeling it as “small adjustments” or improvements instead of a groundbreaking, transformative event.

Apple’s unveiling of “Apple Intelligence” seems underwhelming compared to the excitement built up beforehand. Instead of experiencing a groundbreaking AI transformation as anticipated, users are receiving only modest enhancements.
— Nekole🇺🇲 (@NekoleUnknown) October 28, 2024

Comparisons have been made to the bumpy beginnings of Apple Maps, a time when its premature release resulted in broad dissatisfaction among users.

I’ve been testing Apple Intelligence during its beta phase, but I must admit that I find it rather unimpressive. Unfortunately, Apple seems to have repeated the same kind of mistake they made when they initially launched Apple Maps. If Apple doesn’t improve quickly, their days may be numbered.
— James A. Tidmarsh (@jtidmarsh) October 27, 2024

Users have encouraged Apple to swiftly improve in order to preserve customer trust and fulfill the lofty standards of its devoted user base.

For individuals who value privacy and ease of use more than extensive AI capabilities, this modest strategy might seem fitting. On the other hand, people seeking an immediately impressive AI experience may find Apple’s approach calls for some degree of patience.

2024-10-30 21:15