iOS 18.1: Apple’s New AI Features Are Here, But Are They Impressive?

Apple has officially launched iOS 18.1, bringing its most awaited Apple Intelligence features to iPhones.

This update introduces AI-powered tools aimed at improving Siri, writing assistance, photo editing, and accessibility. However, while Apple promises a revolution in smartphone AI, real-world testing reveals a more mixed experience.

From a revamped Siri to AI-assisted text editing, Apple has made some meaningful changes, but are they enough to compete with AI-driven advancements from Google and Samsung? Let’s break down the major updates and see whether iOS 18.1 truly delivers.

Also Read: Apple Intelligence Features Go Live for iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Siri Gets Smarter, But Still Stumbles

One of the most noticeable updates in iOS 18.1 is the visual redesign of Siri. Gone is the traditional glowing orb, now, a colorful shimmer appears around the edges of the screen whenever Siri is activated.

Apple has worked on making Siri better at understanding commands, especially when users stumble over words or make corrections. This improvement makes interacting with Siri feel a little more natural and fluid.

But how does Siri perform when it comes to real-world queries?

In testing, Siri does well with Apple-related questions, such as “How do I restart my iPhone?” or “How do I update my Mac?”

The assistant provides step-by-step guidance instead of just redirecting users to a web search—a significant improvement.

However, for more complex or less common requests, Siri still struggles. Many times, it defaults to web searches instead of delivering direct answers.

This puts Apple’s assistant behind Google Assistant, which often provides on-the-spot answers without requiring users to sift through web pages.

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New AI Writing Tools: Helpful, But Not Revolutionary

Another major feature in iOS 18.1 is AI-powered writing assistance. Apple’s new Writing Tools allow users to:

• Proofread their text
• Summarize long passages
• Rewrite text in different tones

For users who frequently type on their iPhones, these tools can be useful. The Proofread feature works well, catching errors and suggesting fixes. However, the Rewrite tool can often flatten the original text, making it sound robotic or unnatural.

Apple also provides tone-changing options, including:

• Friendly
• Professional
• Concise

While this is a cool concept, the results are often inconsistent. At times, the tone feels too forced or unnatural, making it less effective than expected.

The Summarize tool is handy in apps like Safari, but there’s a downside—it sometimes removes important details, affecting the original meaning of the text.

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AI Photo Editing: Good, But Not the Best

Apple has introduced a new Clean Up tool for Photos, allowing users to remove unwanted objects from images. This AI-powered feature is meant to compete with Google’s Magic Eraser and Samsung’s Object Eraser.

While it can successfully erase small distractions from images, it’s not always accurate. Complex backgrounds often show smudges or distortions, making the edit obvious.

Google and Samsung’s AI editing tools are still ahead in terms of quality and precision, making Apple’s version feel slightly behind.

Another notable upgrade is the ability to search for specific photos or videos using detailed descriptions. For instance, users can now search for something like “Max Eddy looking angry” instead of manually scrolling through hundreds of images.

However, when tested with more complex queries, such as “Last time Max Eddy was in Ann Arbor,” the results were inconsistent. This suggests that Apple’s AI-powered search still has room to improve.

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Memories Feature

Apple’s new Memories feature allows users to create short video clips using a set of selected photos, based on date, location, or event.

While it’s a fun addition, it lacks the personalization that some users might want. Manually curated photo albums and videos still feel more meaningful than AI-generated ones.

Control Center and Camera Updates

Apple has made Control Center more customizable in iOS 18.1. Now, users can:

• Add and remove toggles for settings like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and VPN
• Quickly access settings with a new shortcut on the home screen

On the camera front, there’s a new Spatial mode available on:

• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 16
• iPhone 16 Pro

This mode lets users take 3D-like photos and videos, adding depth to their images. However, it’s limited to specific models, meaning most iPhone users won’t have access to it.

Hearing Health Features for AirPods Pro 2

A significant accessibility update in iOS 18.1 is the new hearing health features for AirPods Pro 2. These include:

• A built-in hearing test
• Automatic noise protection
• Hearing aid-like features

Apple is trying to reduce the stigma around hearing aids by turning everyday earbuds into assistive listening devices.

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Final Verdict: A Step Forward, But Not a Game-Changer

So, is iOS 18.1 a huge leap forward for Apple’s AI efforts? Not exactly. While Apple has made some useful improvements, Google and Samsung still offer more advanced AI-powered features.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s good and what’s lacking:

✅ Improved Siri – Better listening, but still struggles with complex questions
✅ AI writing tools – Helpful, but tone adjustments feel unnatural
✅ Photo editing updates – Works well, but still not as good as Google’s tools
✅ Customizable Control Center – A useful change
✅ AirPods Pro 2 hearing features – A great step for accessibility

❌ Siri still defaults to web searches too often
❌ AI rewriting tool makes text sound dull
❌ Clean Up tool isn’t as smooth as competitors’ versions
❌ New photo search still has limitations

While Apple Intelligence is an exciting new direction, it’s not yet the AI breakthrough many had hoped for. The features in iOS 18.1 are a solid foundation, but Apple will need to push further if it wants to lead the AI revolution in smartphones.

For now, Apple users can enjoy the small but useful improvements, while waiting to see how future updates refine and expand these capabilities.

Would you upgrade to iOS 18.1 for its AI features? Let us know what you think!

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