Apple has released iOS 18.2, bringing major upgrades to its Apple Intelligence suite. The update introduces ChatGPT integration for Siri, making the virtual assistant smarter and more conversational. It also includes the Image Playground app for creating images from text prompts, Genmoji for personalized emoji, and Visual Intelligence, an AI-powered visual search tool.
Visual Intelligence allows users to gather information on anything pointed out by their camera. It can identify text, food, locations, and more, though it is limited to iPhone 16 and later models. To install iOS 18.2, users should first back up their iPhone, update to iOS 18.1.1, charge their device to at least 20%, connect to Wi-Fi, and check for sufficient storage.
The update can then be installed via Settings > Software Update by tapping Update Now. The process involves entering a passcode, agreeing to terms, and waiting for the installation to complete.
New AI features in iOS
Many AI features require joining the Apple Intelligence waitlist through the Settings app. Approval typically takes a few hours and is available for iPhone 16 models and the previous year’s iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. iOS 18.2 was released on Dec.
11, 2024, with more features and enhancements to Apple Intelligence expected in future updates. After installing iOS 18.2, users can customize their iPhone experience by changing default buttons on the lock screen, customizing the Action Button on the iPhone 16 Pro, giving the home screen a new look, setting Dark Mode, applying a universal tint to app icons, enlarging icons and removing labels, and revamping the Control Center. To use ChatGPT with Siri, users need to enable it in Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri.
They can then ask Siri to utilize ChatGPT for complex or general questions by prefacing requests with “Ask ChatGPT.” ChatGPT can also generate images, analyze content on the screen, and provide writing assistance in supported apps. Visual Intelligence, accessed by long-pressing the Camera Control button, allows users to snap a picture and get ratings, links, summaries, and translations of text. The “Ask” button lets ChatGPT analyze and describe photos, identifying plants, animals, and even nutritional information of foods.
