Apple WWDC 2024: the 13 biggest announcements
What are the main AI features introduced in Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote?
During the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, the company introduced several AI features under the umbrella term "Apple Intelligence2." This new personal intelligence system aims to put powerful generative models at the core of Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Here are the main AI features introduced:
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Apple Intelligence: This system will enable new capabilities across Apple's native apps, such as generating images or summarizing text2. It will be powered by on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute, ensuring a strong emphasis on security2. Apple Intelligence will be available for free on the iPhone 15 Pro as well as on iPads and Macs with an M1 chip and later.
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Siri Upgrades: Apple's voice assistant, Siri, will now be integrated more deeply into the iPhone, appearing as a pulsating light on the edge of the device. It will give users more control over their apps, allowing them to ask Siri to find information inside a particular email or even surface a photo of a friend. The upgraded Siri relies on Large Language Models (LLMs) to better understand what users say and keep track of follow-up requests and questions.
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Siri and ChatGPT Integration: Apple has partnered with OpenAI to integrate its ChatGPT chatbot with Siri. With the new integration, Siri will automatically determine whether a query would be better suited for ChatGPT and will ask for user permission before sending the request to ChatGPT. Users will be able to use ChatGPT through Siri for free and without an account.
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AI Features in Apple Apps: Apple is rolling out new AI features across its apps in iOS 18. These features include email summarization and response generation in the Mail app, custom emoji generation (Genmoji) feature, and AI image generation (Image Playground). The Photos app will also have AI-powered search functionality and background object removal in pictures.
These AI features showcase Apple's commitment to integrating advanced AI capabilities into its devices and software, enhancing user experience across various applications.
How does Apple Intelligence ensure user security when processing requests?
Apple Intelligence ensures user security when processing requests by automatically deciding whether it needs to use on-device processing or contact Apple’s private cloud computing server. This decision is based on the level of security required for the request. The system is designed to prioritize user privacy and security while providing powerful AI capabilities across Apple's native apps.
What are the new capabilities of the Control Center and home screen customization in iOS 18?
iOS 18 brings new capabilities to the Control Center and home screen customization. Users can now arrange apps and widgets in any open space on the Home Screen, customize the buttons at the bottom of the Lock Screen, and quickly access more controls in Control Center4. The revamped Control Center comes with multiple new groups of controls for media playback and Home controls, which can be accessed by swiping down from the top-right edge5. A new Controls gallery allows users to add toggles to the Control Center, including controls from third-party apps5. For example, iOS 18 users could quickly unlock a vehicle or jump right into capturing content for social media — all from one place, just by a swipe. In iOS 18, users can also customize Lock Screen shortcuts, replacing the flashlight and camera buttons with other controls. On the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, the Action button can be mapped to trigger a specific control.