iOS 18.2 is set to be released in December, and with just a few weeks left in the year, we expect to see the new iPhone update launch very soon.
iOS 18.2 adds some major Apple Intelligence features to your iPhone, including new ways to express yourself in Messages, a huge upgrade to Siri, and an iPhone 16 exclusive AI tool.
With the launch of an iOS 18.2 Release Candidate this week, the official release shouldn’t be too far away, here are the four big Apple Intelligence upgrades to get excited about.
1. Genmoji
Genmoji is one of the best AI features on iPhone I’ve tried yet, and it’s going to get even better once the generative AI emojis become widely available. I previously said that Genmoji will make Apple Intelligence a success, and after using the feature in my daily life for a few months as part of the iOS 18.2 beta, I’m still convinced.
Once Genmoji launches, you’ll be able to create whatever emoji you can think of and share it with friends and family members. Before you know it, every conversation will be taken over by frogs on skateboards, and dogs eating pasta, doesn’t that sound fantastic? Once iOS 18.2 releases, be sure to check out our guide on how to use Genmoji.
2. ChatGPT in Siri
ChatGPT is now implemented into Siri, and it works just as you’d expect. In iOS 18.2 you can access ChatGPT via voice or Type to Siri and ask the incredibly smart OpenAI model complex questions that Siri can’t answer. The new update to Siri is a big step forward and while it’s impressive, is only just a taster of what’s to come once Siri has on-screen awareness and the ability to understand personal context next year.
3. Image Playground
Image Playground is Apple’s take on the best AI image generator, and it’s… alright, I guess. While it’s pretty quick to generate images, I found Apple’s safety precautions put limitations on the tool, which sometimes makes it feel a bit outdated compared to the competition. It’s worth remembering that all Apple Intelligence features that officially launch are still technically in beta, so we won’t get the final version of Image Playground for a while.
In iOS 18.2, you’ll find a new app icon specifically for Image Playground and you can quickly generate images based on prompts, people in your Photos app, and other options such as art styles. It works just as you’d expect, but I’m still to find a proper use for AI image generators other than just a fun tool to use once and never touch again. Maybe Image Playground will break through into the mainstream?
4. Mail app categorization
The Mail app in iOS 18.2 gets a total overhaul, with new categories similar to Gmail. Using the power of Apple Intelligence, your iPhone will now determine where an email should be categorized and whether or not it’s a priority. I really like this new Mail app update, and while it takes some getting used to, it’s definitely an improvement compared to the older version found in iOS 18.
If only one Apple Intelligence feature in iOS 18.2 becomes part of your daily routine, it’s most probably going to be this one.
Bonus: Visual Intelligence
Last but not least is Visual Intelligence, the iPhone 16-exclusive Apple Intelligence tool. Built into Camera Control, Visual Intelligence lets you snap a photo of anything you can see in the real world, and then search ChatGPT or Google for information about it. Think of this as Apple’s version of Google Lens, and due to the dedicated hardware on the side of the best iPhones, it quickly becomes an important part of your workflow.
I’ve found myself using Visual Intelligence a lot, and until I had the feature on my device, Camera Control didn’t quite serve a purpose for my uses. Now it does.
iOS 18.2 is currently available to developers and public beta users, the official launch is expected this month.