Apple Intelligence has finally arrived in Malaysia, marking a significant expansion of Apple’s AI capabilities following its announcement nearly two months ago. The feature arrives as part of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and MacOS Sequoia 15.1 updates.
Getting Started: Language Requirements
Currently, Apple Intelligence is exclusively available in US English, though Apple has promised broader language support in the future. To activate the feature, users must first configure their Siri language settings to English (US) and set it as the primary language in Language & Region settings.
After adjusting these settings, users need to join a waiting list before activating Apple Intelligence. The waiting period is relatively brief, typically around 30 minutes, after which the “Turn On Apple Intelligence” option becomes available. Despite its official release, the feature still carries a Beta designation.
Enhanced Writing Capabilities
The new AI system introduces comprehensive writing tools across iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS. These tools offer assistance with sentence restructuring and allow users to adjust the tone and style of their writing to sound more professional, concise, or casual as needed.
The system includes proofreading capabilities, examining grammar, word choice, and sentence structure while suggesting appropriate corrections. For lengthy texts, the AI can summarise content into key points.
Audio Summarisation and Enhanced Siri
A notable feature is the ability to summarise audio content through the Notes application or during calls. Users can simply record audio, and Apple Intelligence will generate and provide important summary points from the recorded transcript.
Siri has received both aesthetic and functional upgrades, featuring a new design with an illuminated ring around the screen. The virtual assistant now demonstrates improved language comprehension and can maintain more natural conversations, understanding context from previous interactions.
Intelligent Photo Management
The Photos application has been enhanced with AI capabilities, allowing users to search for images or videos by describing their content. Similar to Samsung’s Galaxy AI Object eraser, Apple has introduced a “Clean” feature that enables users to remove unwanted elements from images.
Users can also create personalised video memories by simply typing relevant descriptions, with Apple Intelligence selecting and combining appropriate photos and videos into a film format.
Smart Notification Management
To address notification overload, Apple has introduced ‘Priority notifications’, which prioritises important alerts and summarises lengthy notifications for easier reading. The new Focus mode can understand notification content that might require immediate attention.
The Mail application has received similar enhancements, displaying priority emails at the top of the inbox. Users can view email summaries without opening messages and generate quick responses through Smart Reply options.
Future Updates
Apple has announced that December 2024 will bring additional AI features, including:
- AI image generation through Image Playground
- Customisable emoji creation called Genmoji
- Image Wand for enhancing sketches
- Expanded writing tools including poetry generation and CV enhancement
- Visual intelligence for object recognition through the camera
Language Support Expansion
While currently limited to US English, support for other English variants (Australian, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand, South African, and British) will arrive in late 2024. From April 2025, additional language support will include Chinese, Indian English, Singaporean English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and others.
Device Compatibility
Apple Intelligence is supported on:
• Macs with M1 chip and newer
• iPhone 16 series (all models)
• iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
• iPads with A17 Pro chip or M1 and newer
