Since Apple dropped the iOS 18.1 beta on July 29, everyone (including us) has been itching to try out the new Apple Intelligence features. You can try the Apple Intelligence features even if you’re outside the U.S. That’s how I got access to it and have found seven AI features that can help ease several aspects of daily routine. So, let’s dive into what’s new – you’re going to love these updates.
Note: The Apple Intelligence or AI features we discuss below will come to iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, and support the upcoming iPhone 16 series.
Table of Contents
1. You Can Finally Record Your Phone Calls
The most-request feature finally arrives in iOS 18.1 beta. It just doesn’t record calls, it even transcribes your phone calls. All recordings are saved in the Notes app, and when you play the audio, it’ll show the transcribed text in real time.
You can even get a summary of your call recording, so you can focus on the important parts without having to listen to the whole thing.
To start recording a call on your iPhone, tap the waveform icon in the top-left corner of the call screen. The other person will be notified that the call is being recorded, and you’ll see how the recording duration.
A few things to keep in mind: transcription works only in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, and Portuguese. If a language isn’t supported, it’ll likely be added down the line.
2. Write Like a Pro
You can use AI writing tools everywhere you can type on your iPhone. Whether you’re firing off a text, writing a note, or drafting an email, you’ve got options to proofread, rewrite, or tweak the tone. Want to sound more friendly? Need it to be more professional? No problem. If you feel the text is too verbose, this feature can help you trim those big sentences and keep your message on point.
Let me give you an example. I sometimes need to rely on my teammates to make minor changes to articles, and when there’s a time crunch, I can’t spend too much time structuring sentences. Thankfully, with the new Writing Tools, I can proofread, change the tone, and structure sentences with a click.
This feature works everywhere – whether you’re messaging, emailing, or taking notes. Like me, you’ll find this Apple Intelligence feature useful.
3. The Mail App Just Got a Whole Lot Smarter
I’ve been using Gmail’s native app for years and never really considered switching to the default Mail app on my iPhone because it was pretty basic. But that changed with the iOS 18.1 beta update.
With the new Mail app, you can now summarize your emails without reading through the entire thing. That’s great when you’re not in the mood to read a lengthy 10-page newsletter. When swamped with emails, important ones get flagged and moved to the top of your inbox. So you can catch the big stuff without digging through a mountain of emails.
There’s a new feature called Smart Replies, which I found pretty handy. Imagine someone emails you asking if you’re interested in buying a new phone. Instead of typing out a full response, Smart Replies gives you options, and based on your choice, it creates the response for you. You can make minor tweaks before sending it.
4. Focus Mode: Cut the Noise, Get Things Done
iOS 18.1 introduces a new Focus mode called Reduce Interruptions. This feature limits notifications to only the most important ones, helping you stay focused without unnecessary distractions. It’s easily accessible from the main Focus bar, and you can customize which contacts and apps are allowed to bypass this mode. You can even enable this feature for any Focus mode.
For example, when you enable it, it learns and shows only the important notifications. When a colleague messaged me about lunch at 11:20 AM, it didn’t show up in my notifications. But another colleague urgently needed an account password, it got flagged as important and alerted me right away. The feature gets better depending on how often you use it and recognize things that are important.
Also Read: 17 Best Tips to Use and Customize Focus Mode on iPhone
5. Enhanced Photo Search
One of the coolest new tricks in the iOS 18 Photos app is the ability to search for multiple people in your pictures. Let’s say you’re in the mood to look at photos of yourself hanging out with friends – you can simply type names like “Sayan, Pratik, Mrinal” into the search bar, and the app will filter out everything else. It’ll show you the moments you’ve shared together. Plus, you can easily sort or filter the results to quickly find the exact image you’re looking for.
But wait, there’s more! If you’re reminiscing about the good old days and want to find videos of you playing a game, just search for “[Your Name] playing,” and the app will pull up all the clips where you’re in the middle of the action. What’s really handy is that it even highlights the exact timestamp where you’re playing, so you can jump straight to the best parts.
Also Read: 6 Unique Ways to Search Your iPhone Photos Like a Pro
There’s also a new feature in the Photos app called Memories. You can tell Apple Intelligence what memory you want to relive, and it’ll combine the photos and videos on your phone to whip up a movie for you with titles and music. It’s like having your own personal movie maker for your favorite moments. While the videos came out decent, it wasn’t anything magical. There is no way to influence or control the outcome like background music, images, effects, etc.
6. Siri’s Got a Whole New Vibe
You know Siri, right? That little assistant who’s been hanging out at the bottom of your screen? Well, with iOS 18.1, Siri’s had a glow-up. It now takes over the whole screen with some slick animations. It’s like Siri just got a personality boost. Plus, if you’re not in the mood to talk, you can just double-tap the bottom bar and type what you need.
As for what Siri is now capable of, you can now ask multiple questions in one go. Previously, if you asked about the weather and then followed up with, “How likely is it to rain?” Siri would just show you the temperature. But now, you can keep asking questions. For example, you can ask, “How long will it take me to drive to Mumbai?” and then “What’s the weather like there?” and “What are the best places to explore in Mumbai?” – and Siri’s all over it.
If you’ve ever asked Siri for help and got sent off to Safari to figure it out yourself, that’s changing too. Siri will guide you through stuff, like resetting your iPhone, turning on dark mode, and more, without throwing you into a web search.
7. Summarize Any Article
Another small but useful AI feature I’ve been using lately is the summarize feature in the Safari browser. While it’s not the first time I’ve seen this feature – it’s been on Android phones for years. It’s nice to see it finally available on the iPhone. To summarize a web page in Safari, hit the Reader Mode icon (small box with horizontal stripes), and once you’re in, tap the Summarize button.
The Beginning of Apple’s AI Journey
While we wait to see other Apple Intelligence features unveiled at WWDC 2024, like Image Playground and Genmoji, I’m more than happy with what iOS 18.1 beta offers. Post that update, managing your iPhone feels easier and more intuitive. From smarter Siri to AI tools for emails and texts, this update enhances how you interact with your device. The iOS 18.1 gives a taste of what Apple Intelligence is capable of on your iPhone. You can wait for the iOS 18.1 update to arrive for the eligible iPhones later this year.
