iOS 18 brings tons of new features to iPhones, including new customization options, iMessage enhancements, and a Photos redesign, but the one feature everyone is waiting to try out is Apple Intelligence. While we already know Apple will hold some AI features until 2025, a new report claims the first release of iOS 18 won’t have any Apple Intelligence features at all.
According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, the Apple Intelligence release plan “presents the possibility that the first iPhone 16 models shipped to consumers this year will lack the new AI features and require a software update weeks later.”
That could put a slight damper on the iPhone 16 launch, but more importantly, it will affect the timetable for iOS 18. For starters, Gurman says Apple “is planning to make Apple Intelligence available to software developers for the first time for early testing as soon as this week via iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 betas.” It’s extremely rare for Apple to test two versions of the same OS at the same time, but as Gurman explains, “Concerns over the stability of Apple Intelligence features, in part, led the company to split the features from the initial launch of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.”
Gurman doesn’t say whether the delay applies to macOS Sequoia as well, though it’s likely macOS 15 doesn’t launch until October, possibly alongside iOS 18.1. iOS 18 is expected to arrive in mid-September, while iOS 18.1 will likely arrive in early October. Apple could still delay the launch of Apple Intelligence to iOS 18.2
iPhone 16 is the next iPhone to arrive in September 2024, and will be followed in 2025 by the iPhone 17 and iPhone SE 4. The new iPhone will arrive at a September launch event – find out how to watch the Apple September event live stream. For iPhone SE 4 and other new Apple products, see when is the next Apple event. You might also like our iPhone buying guide, best iPhone deals, and comparison of every iPhone that is available to buy today.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor, Macworld
Michael Simon has been covering Apple for more than 20 years. He started covering rumors with Spymac when the iPod was the iWalk, and has owned nearly every iPhone Apple has ever made. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, son, and far too many gadgets.