It’s no secret that Apple is working on generative AI. No one knows what it will all entail, but a new leak is coming out AppleInsider offers some insight. The publication recently spoke to “people familiar with the matter” and claimed that Apple is working on an “AI-powered summary (tool) and vastly improved audio transcription” for multiple operating systems.
The report states that these should bring “significant improvements” to key iOS apps like Notes and Voice Memos. The latter is expected to be “among the first to receive upgraded capabilities,” namely the aforementioned transcriptions. They take up a large part of the app’s interface and replace the graphics for audio recordings. AppleInsider states that it works similarly to Live VoiceMail on the iPhone, where a speech bubble triggers transcription and the text appears directly on the screen.
In addition to VoiceMemos, the Notes app will apparently also get some substantial upgrades. It gains the ability to record audio and make a transcription of it, just like Voice Memo. Unique to Notes, however, is its summary tool, which provides a “basic text summary” of all the key points in a given note.
Safari and Messages will also get their own summary features, although they will function differently. The browser gets a tool that creates short breakdowns for web pages, while in Messages the AI summarizes all your texts. It’s unknown if the Safari update will be exclusive to the iPhone or if the macOS version will get the same capabilities, but there’s a chance it will.
At the time of writing, Apple is reportedly testing these features for an upcoming release on iOS 18 later this year. According to the report, there are plans to update the companion apps with the launch of macOS 15 and iPadOS 18; both of which are expected to be released in 2024.
It’s important to note that there are conflicting reports on how these AI models will work. AppleInsider claims that certain tools will run “entirely on the device” to protect user privacy. However, a Bloomberg report says some AI features on iOS 18 will instead be powered by a cloud server equipped with Apple’s M2 Ultra chip, the same hardware found in 2023’s Mac Studio.
The reason for the cloud support is that ‘complicated jobs’ such as summarizing articles require extra computing power. iPhones on their own may not have the ability to run everything internally.
Regardless of how the company implements its software, it could help Apple overtake its AI rivals. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 already has many of these AI features. Additionally, Microsoft’s OneNote app can summarize information thanks to Copilot. Of course, take all these details with a grain of salt. Apple can always change things at the last minute.
Check out Ny Breaking’s list of the best iPhones for 2024 to see which ones “reign supreme.”