According to a report by Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, the launch of the highly anticipated Apple Intelligence feature in iOS 18 is expected to be delayed from its original timeline.
Apple Intelligence was announced at this year’s WWDC in June and was supposed to be a key feature of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 Sequoia. Initially, developers were scheduled to start testing some components of this AI feature in an upcoming iOS 18 beta this summer. However, Apple has decided to postpone this to iOS 18.1, meaning the public may not see Apple Intelligence until October or later.
This delay means that the initial release of iOS 18 will still happen in September alongside the launch of the new iPhone 16 models. Subsequently, iOS 18.1 will be released, incorporating some of the Apple Intelligence features showcased at WWDC.
Gurman mentioned that Apple’s progress with Intelligence tools is slightly slower than expected, but developers can expect a glimpse of Apple Intelligence with the release of the first beta versions of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 next week.
This unusual release schedule will result in two beta versions of iOS 18.x circulating, with the latest beta version of iOS 18.0 and the first beta version of iOS 18.1.
The upcoming iPhone 16 models, including the regular iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, are expected to launch with iOS 18, not iOS 18.1.
Apple Intelligence is likely to be compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 series, featuring AI tools for various functions like writing, focus, communication, and imagery. It will also introduce a smarter version of Siri, Apple’s voice assistant. Some parts of Apple Intelligence were never intended to launch with the initial iOS 18.0 version, with certain features expected to be revealed in early 2025.
Delays in software development are common in the industry, but the delay of Apple Intelligence raises questions about how it will affect the early sales of the iPhone 16 Pro. Apple has high expectations for the new iPhone 16 series, aiming to revitalize declining iPhone sales from earlier in the year.
