The first public beta version of iOS 18.2 has been released by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), introducing powerful new AI-driven features.
What Happened: Users can now register their iPhones in the Apple Beta Program to access the 18.2 beta update, although Apple cautions about potential glitches in such releases.
The new iOS 18.2 has Image Playground, which creates images from text prompts. This feature is also incorporated into Messages, Notes, and Freeform.
Another addition is Genmoji, a tool that generates emojis from text prompts and user images.
The update also integrates OpenAI’s AI chatbot ChatGPT into Siri. Users don’t need a ChatGPT account to use this feature.
For the iPhone 16 series, Visual Intelligence provides information about the user’s environment by simply pointing the camera at an object.
The tech giant is expected to launch the final versions of these operating systems in early December.
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Why It Matters: Last month, Apple reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $94.9 billion, surpassing analyst expectations of $94.56 billion. The tech giant also reported adjusted earnings of $1.64 per share for the quarter, exceeding the forecasted $1.60 per share.
During the company’s earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “The 18.1 adoption is twice as fast as the 17.1 adoption was in the year-ago quarter.” The company also reported that iPhone revenue reached $46.22 billion, up from $43.8 billion the last year.
Earlier this week, Apple cautioned investors that future AI and virtual reality products may not match iPhone-level profitability, noting risks from "geopolitical tensions" and AI safety concerns in its latest filing.
Earlier in June, Deepwater Asset Management’s Gene Munster predicted that Apple's focus on AI would drive a 10% increase in revenue by 2025.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
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