by Juli Clover
One of the major factors that contributed to Apple’s heavy focus on artificial intelligence in iOS 18 was an experience that software chief Craig Federighi had with GitHub Copilot, according to The Wall Street Journal.
In a report on Apple’s AI ambitions, WSJ says that Federighi became an AI “convert” after testing the Copilot coding tool introduced by Microsoft-owned GitHub. Copilot, which uses OpenAI technology, was created to help programmers write, troubleshoot, and translate code into different programming languages.
After “playing around” with GitHub Copilot in December of 2022, Federighi explained that he had “come to appreciate” generative AI, and he reportedly tasked engineering employees with creating new ways to integrate AI features into Apple’s apps and features. Prior rumors have suggested that Apple is aiming to integrate AI into as many apps as possible with iOS 18 and future software updates.
Apple accelerated development on internal generative AI development, even recruiting some former Apple Car employees to work on the technology, but it has also held discussions with OpenAI and Google and is expected to rely on both its internal AI models and external partnerships.
Rumors about features coming in iOS 18 indicate that Federighi has been successful in incorporating AI into the operating system in a number of ways, with Apple planning to add AI features to Messages, Mail, Photos, and other key apps. Siri will also be overhauled with generative AI, making the personal assistant smarter and more capable.
A rundown of all of the new features rumored for iOS 18 can be found in our roundup.
Popular Stories
Some AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Customers Report Issues With Calls [Update: Fixed]
Tuesday June 4, 2024 10:51 am PDT by Juli Clover
There appears to be an outage with at least one U.S. cellular carrier, with customers unable to place or receive calls. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon customers have been complaining about the issue on social networks, and there are also reports of outages on the Down Detector website. According to a statement from AT&T, the outage is affecting calls between carriers in the United States. All…
iOS 18 Beta Available Next Week With These 25 New Features Expected
iOS 18 is just days away, with Apple set to unveil the software update during its WWDC keynote on June 10. Many new features and changes are expected for the iPhone, with more details outlined in our rumor recap below. The first beta of iOS 18 should be made available to members of the Apple Developer Program immediately after the WWDC keynote, and a public beta will likely follow in July….
iOS 18: These iPhones Likely Won’t Support Some AI Features
Apple is planning a major AI overhaul in iOS 18, but some new features are unlikely to work on older iPhones, even if they do appear on the new operating system’s device compatibility list. Apple’s initial AI roadmap for iOS 18 is said to come in two parts: Basic AI features that will be processed on-device, and more advanced capabilities that will require communication with Apple’s servers. …
Revealed: Complete iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max Dimensions
Wednesday June 5, 2024 3:38 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
This year, Apple is set to increase the size of its premium iPhones, and it will be the first size update we’ve had in several years. While we’ve known for some time that the iPhone 16 Pro will measure in at 6.3 inches (up from 6.1) and the Pro Max will measure in at 6.9 inches (up from 6.7), we have not had a complete picture of every dimension, until now. Despite being bigger phones, one…
Nintendo 3DS Emulator for iPhone Released in App Store With Caveats
Folium has become the first Nintendo 3DS emulator for the iPhone available in the App Store, although there are some caveats to be aware of. Foremost, this is the first Nintendo emulator on the App Store that costs money. Folium developer Jarrod Norwell is charging $4.99 for the app, which is a bold choice given that Nintendo recently sued the developers of Yuzu, a Nintendo Switch emulator…
PSA: Bartender Mac App Under New Ownership, But Lack of Transparency Raises Concerns
Tuesday June 4, 2024 3:22 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Popular Mac app Bartender appears to have been quietly sold approximately two months ago, with neither the prior owner nor the current owner providing customers or potential customers with information on the sale. The transaction came to light after some Reddit users saw a warning from MacUpdater letting them know that the company behind Bartender had been silently replaced. MacUpdater…
Netflix to End Support for 2nd and 3rd Generation Apple TV
Netflix will no longer support second-generation and third-generation Apple TV models from July 31, 2024, the company has announced in an email to some subscribers. Netflix said that the decision made to “maintain the best possible Netflix experience” by focusing on devices that can support the latest features and updates. The second-generation Apple TV was the first of its kind to…