Apple Kicks Off iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and MacOS 15.3 with Significant Change Affecting AI
The release notes for the new OS versions released on Monday state that Apple Intelligence will be enabled automatically for new and upgrading users, giving them immediate access to its AI-powered capabilities. Anyone who doesn’t want to use the AI will have to manually turn it off.
Enabled Automatically for New and Upgrading Users
Only eligible devices can take advantage of Apple Intelligence. These include any iPhone 16, the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPad Pro or iPad Air with an M1 chip or later, the iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip, and Macs with an M1 chip or later.
Eligible Devices that Can Run Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence now chews up around 7GB of storage, up from 4GB initially. Turning off the technology doesn’t automatically recover that space, at least not right away. But if you don’t plan to use the AI at all, you can certainly disable it. To do so, go to Settings, select Apple Intelligence & Siri, and then turn off the switch for Apple Intelligence.
What Else Has Been Updated?
The latest OS updates kick in a few more changes. Following issues with AI-generated summaries, Apple will now more clearly indicate when a summary has been cooked up through AI by italicizing the notice. On the downside, Apple has temporarily disabled notification summaries for news items following complaints that the summaries weren’t accurate or reliable.
New Features and Updates
Designed for the iPhone 16, the visual intelligence option lets you dig up details on people, places, and things that you capture with the Camera control. With iOS 18.3, you can now use visual intelligence to add an event to your calendar from a poster or flyer and identify plants and animals.
With MacOS 15.3, Apple has added Genmoji to the Mac, so you can create your own custom Genmoji based on text descriptions and people from your photo library. Plus, Apple has fixed a bug that prevented you from generating a Genmoji without selecting a different person from your library.
Security Patches
The latest versions also add several security patches. Within iOS/iPadOS 18.3 and macOS Sequoia 15.3 are 26 bug fixes covering such features as AirPlay, Passkeys, and Safari.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the latest OS updates bring significant changes to Apple Intelligence, making it enabled by default for eligible devices. While this may be a welcome change for some, others may prefer to disable the technology to conserve storage space. Additionally, the updates bring new features and security patches, making it a worthwhile update for users.
FAQs
Q: What devices are eligible to run Apple Intelligence?
A: Eligible devices include any iPhone 16, the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPad Pro or iPad Air with an M1 chip or later, the iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip, and Macs with an M1 chip or later.
Q: How do I disable Apple Intelligence?
A: To disable Apple Intelligence, go to Settings, select Apple Intelligence & Siri, and then turn off the switch for Apple Intelligence.
Q: What is the storage impact of Apple Intelligence?
A: Apple Intelligence now chews up around 7GB of storage, up from 4GB initially. Turning off the technology doesn’t automatically recover that space, at least not right away.
Q: What are the new features and updates in iOS 18.3 and MacOS 15.3?
A: The new features and updates include visual intelligence, Genmoji, and bug fixes for AirPlay, Passkeys, and Safari.
