Apple has released the first developer beta of iOS 18.2, introducing a new wave of Apple Intelligence features for developers to explore.
This update includes innovative tools such as Genmoji and Image Playground for image generation, along with ChatGPT integration in both Siri and Writing Tools. Additionally, the Writing Tools now feature a new text field that allows users to specify changes with a “Describe your change” request. iPhone 16 users can also take advantage of Visual Intelligence via the Camera Control.
While iOS 18.1 is set to launch publicly next week with support for Apple Intelligence limited to US English, iOS 18.2 expands this support to include additional English-speaking regions, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Users outside of these markets can still access Apple Intelligence by changing their device language to one of the supported locales. Apple plans to roll out support for select non-English languages next year, although Apple Intelligence will remain disabled in China and the EU due to regulatory restrictions.
The initial release of iOS 18.1 introduced a variety of Apple Intelligence features including Writing Tools, updates to Siri, Clean Up and Memory Movies in Photos, notification summaries, priority messages in Mail, and transcription summaries for phone calls. iOS 18.2 builds on this foundation by launching generative image features for the first time. The Image Playground allows users to create custom images from scratch using text prompts and theme suggestions in a playful, cartoon-like style. The Image Wand feature enables users to transform rough sketches created with the Apple Pencil into polished images, while Genmoji provides a fun way to create and share custom emojis directly from the standard emoji keyboard.
Enhancements to Writing Tools in iOS 18.2 include the ability to describe changes through freeform text requests, such as asking the tool to make a document “sound more enthusiastic.” Furthermore, ChatGPT integration in Writing Tools introduces a new Compose with ChatGPT interface, enhancing the writing experience.
Siri has also received an upgrade with ChatGPT integration, allowing it to handle requests beyond its capabilities. For example, if a user asks Siri to generate an itinerary, it can pass the request to ChatGPT’s extensive knowledge base and return the result directly. Users must grant explicit permission for Siri to utilize ChatGPT for these requests to ensure privacy.
For iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro users, iOS 18.2 includes Visual Intelligence, offering a new viewfinder that can be accessed by holding down the Camera Control on the lock screen, enabling quick snapshots to learn more about their surroundings.
These features are also included in the beta versions of macOS 15.2 and iPadOS 18.2, which are now available to developers. While Apple has not yet confirmed a public release date for iOS 18.2, the company has indicated that it will be available before the end of the year.
Looking ahead, several previously announced Apple Intelligence features are still pending release, including personal context awareness, in-app actions for Siri, and a new AI-enhanced priority notifications section on the iPhone lock screen, all expected to arrive in early 2025.