AI-Powered iOS 18 Could Be the Biggest Update in Apple's History: Report

Apple will introduce its newest iPhone 16 lineup, expected to be packed with Generative AI features, later this year. The Cupertino, California-based company's AI push has lagged far behind rivals Google and Samsung, with both the Pixel 8 and the newly unveiled Galaxy S24 series packing artificial intelligence-based tools and apps. Generative AI features on the next iPhone will likely arrive as part of iOS 18. A new report claims that the next major update of Apple's mobile operating system could be the biggest one in the company's history.

According to a report in 9to5Mac, which cites the latest Power On newsletter from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, iOS 18 will likely be “one of the biggest iOS updates — if not the biggest — in the company's history.” iOS 18, codenamed Crystal, will reportedly bring “ambitious changes,” in addition to new AI features.

“I'm told that the new operating system is seen within the company as one of the biggest iOS updates — if not the biggest — in the company's history. With that knowledge, Apple's developers conference in June should be pretty exciting,” Gurman reportedly said in his newsletter. Earlier this month, Gurman had reported that Apple would likely announce iOS 18's AI offerings at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.

While Apple has stayed tight-lipped about the generative AI features coming to iOS 18, reports have said that Siri, the on-device assistant on iPhone, is set to get a major AI overhaul. The revamped Siri is expected to be powered by Apple's Large Language Model (LLM). Other apps like Apple Music and Messages could also get AI features like better music recommendations, playlist generation, and improved text suggestions. Apple's suite of productivity apps like Pages, Numbers, and Keynote could also receive AI-based upgrades, Gurman had said in October last year.

The development of AI features for its devices is likely to cost Apple around $1 billion (roughly Rs. 8,300 crore) over the next year. Back in November, Gurman had said that the iPhone 16 series will lack major hardware upgrades, thus requiring iOS 18 to be “extra impressive.”

Apple rival Samsung recently debuted its flagship Galaxy S24 series of smartphones with Galaxy AI features like Live Translate, Note Assist, Circle to Search and more. The South Korean manufacturer has partnered with Google to bundle AI services on its latest phones, utilising the company's Gemini AI model.