Apple has introduced its own AI known as Apple Intelligence, which was announced at WWDC 2024, to be integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. However, Apple’s latest AI announcement has not managed to impress iPhone users.

There’s a discussion going on tech blogs, particularly highlighted by some Apple employees and industry analysts, that Apple’s AI technology, specifically the generative aspects of Apple Intelligence, might be lagging. These reports suggest that Apple’s AI plans could be more than two years behind competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT in terms of performance accuracy and capability.

Despite criticisms about Apple’s lagging in AI technology, Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook has addressed (via WSJ) Apple’s approach to AI development in four words: “Not first, but best.” He believes that while Apple might not be the first to introduce these AI features, its focus is on how these technologies can best serve the user, making the experience “profoundly different.”

According to the official information, Apple has released the release candidate (RC) versions of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 to developers. This update will roll out the initial set of Apple Intelligence features. You’ll see these features on the iPhone 15 Pro and any models that come after, like the iPhone 16 series. Apple has also released RCs for other operating systems like iPadOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1, watchOS 11.1, tvOS 18.1, and visionOS 2.1.

As per reports, Apple has also confirmed iOS 18.1, along with its new AI features, will be released to the public next week from the date of the RC release.

Why so much criticism?

Samsung and Google have done great work in deploying generative AI features across their devices, including older Galaxy and Pixel devices.

Samsung Galaxy S24 series includes features such as real-time translation and generative photo editing, powered by Google’s advanced AI technologies, Gemini Pro and Imagen 2. These features are exclusively available on the latest models and will be free until the end of 2025.

Google has also utilized its Tensor chips in Pixel devices to enhance AI functionalities and has now extended similar generative AI features through collaboration with Samsung.

The company also released compatible AI features to older Galaxy smartphones, the most recently released One UI 6.1.1 update brings AI features to millions of Galaxy smartphones all around the world. Samsung’s move to bring these features to even older models through software updates indicates a broader integration strategy.

Samsung’s Circle to Search feature is really useful for quick results, believe me, it is very useful and accurate, thanks to Google‘s image search algorithm.

In short, Samsung and Google have pushed generative AI into the market more aggressively in terms of feature rollout and device accessibility. The smartphone AI race is still very much alive, with each competitor trying unique aspects of their AI approaches.

iPhone 16 just went official with Apple Intelligence features. Apple confirmed iOS 18.1-based Gen AI features are coming to iPhone in Beta starting next month. Well, the features teaser suggests Apple Intelligence failed to crush Galaxy AI lead.

Galaxy AI will continue to lead the AI phone market as initial Apple Intelligence features will be exclusive to US English language users. Over time, the Gen AI tricks will be expanded to more languages and users, globally.

Apple pledged to add support for English dialects in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom in December. After the second language expansion, additional languages will roll out in 2025, that’s pretty much disappointing.

The iPhone maker claims to launch Apple Intelligence in Chinese, French, Japanese and Spanish next year. Apple Intelligence will be available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The Cupertino-based firm didn’t reveal a specific release for certain features. Meanwhile, dedicated outlets believe notification summaries, email summaries, Reduce Interruptions focus, and Clean Up coming in the first phase.

The most highlighted features like Genmoji and Image Playgrounds will arrive in December. Apple’s Senior VP of Software Engineering confirmed that the first set of features will be available in a free software update next month.

Apple Intelligence is not only limited to a few models but language coverage is also restricted. Samsung already amazed the industry with Galaxy AI earlier this year, while a new set of features started to deploy on Galaxy S24 earlier today.

Most highlighting Galaxy AI features:

Turn simple sketches into awesome images

• Sketch to image is available in Samsung Notes, Photo Editor, Air command, Smart select, and the Edge panels.

Create unique portraits

• With a wide variety of AI-generated portrait styles, you can create a whole new look for your own profile image in Contacts or someone else’s, or use Photo Editor to invent something new for any of your photos that have faces in them.

Let your phone do the writing for you

• When you need to write something, whether it’s a text, an email, or a social media post, you can start by giving Samsung Keyboard’s new Composer a short request or snippet of text, then let Galaxy AI do the rest.

Translate calls in more apps

• In addition to the Samsung Phone app, you can get real-time translation in supported voice calling apps like Google Meet and WhatsApp. During a call, tap Live translate in the quick panel to start translating.

Translate image text on webpages

• Get the entire webpage in your language. When you translate a webpage in Samsung Internet, all of the text on the page gets translated, whether it’s formatted as text or part of an image or photo.

Translate in Listening mode

• Listen in, no matter which language is being spoken. Interpreter’s new Listening mode lets you translate one-way communication, like a lecture or presentation, into your language.

Turn voice recordings into notes

• It’s easier than ever before to create notes with Samsung Notes, even using just your voice. You can now transcribe voice recordings into text notes that you can edit, summarize, and more.

Translate and summarize PDFs

• Note assist’s translation and summary features now work with PDF files without the need to convert them to notes first. Translated text will appear in the original format of the PDF.

Auto detect languages in Voice Recorder

• Use Transcript assist to convert recordings of meetings, lectures, voice memos, and more into text. The language of your recording will now be automatically detected, so you can skip the language choice and go right to the transcript.

Edit voice recordings and transcripts

• After you create a transcript in Voice Recorder, you can now edit the text to fix any errors, remove unneeded parts, or add something that’s missing. You can also edit the audio recording itself by removing sections you don’t need.

Enhance your wallpaper with special weather effects

• Choose a photo to use for your photo ambient wallpaper and watch it change along with the time of day and weather conditions in the location you set for your weather widget.
• If it’s snowing or raining in that location, you’ll see the same conditions in your photo, and the sun will rise and set according the local time in that location.

Apple released a new Clean Up feature with iOS 18.1 Beta 3. The photo editing trick comes with the ability to remove objects, fix a photograph, and blur face. iOS 18.1 Clean Up features a distant echo of Samsung’s Object Eraser and Android’s Magic Eraser.

Way back in 2021, Samsung introduced the Object Eraser feature. The Galaxy S21 flagships debuted this intelligent photo editing trick. Later on, the company expanded it to many more premium and non-premium devices.

After Samsung, Google launched a similar feature entitled Magic Eraser. It launched in October 2021 with the Pixel 6 series. And recently, Magic Eraser turned Magic Editor, adding even more amazing editing capabilities for Android devices.

Apple came late but showcased Clean Up as a ground-breaking innovation. The feature is added within the iPhone’s Photos editor options. It allows you to perform fixes on the chosen photograph through an interface supporting gestures.

iOS 18.1 Beta 3 adds the Clean Up feature, allowing you to remove distractions from photos with Apple Intelligence while keeping the original image intact. pic.twitter.com/ZE6z3cJtAR

— Beta Profiles (@BetaProfiles) August 28, 2024

Similar to Object and Magic Eraser, Clean Up also has undo and redo buttons. You can also compare the difference by using the original toggle. The feature is in Beta but works well as Apple’s already three years behind Samsung, LOL.

Clean Up intelligently detects humans and objects in the selected photo. You can brush, tap to select, or circle the object you want to remove. AI will do the rest, delivering an improved version of the photo within a few seconds of processing.

The processing time is required to analyze the fill of the area vacated by removed humans or objects. The functionality will analyze the state of the image to fill the removed area so the photo won’t render odd after the removal of a human or object.

Clean Up also allows you to censor a face. If you want to share some graphical content without revealing your identity, it will be quite useful. If you blur a face, it will be blurred in pixelated style to completely hide the identity through the face.

You can censor a face using the “Clean Up” tool in iOS 18.1 🤯 pic.twitter.com/yhbBcgqj2J

— Apple Hub (@theapplehub) August 28, 2024