Apple supercharges its latest iOS release with new AI smart features
Generate fresh illustrations and custom emoji, and harness the power of ChatGPT from within Siri
Apple officially launched its latest version of iOS on Wednesday. iOS 18.2 introduces new Apple Intelligence features including Image Playground, an image creation app that automatically generates cartoon-like graphics based on text descriptions. Following a similar theme, 18.2's new Genmoji feature lets users create custom emoji, while iPhone 16 and 16 Pro owners can instantly learn more about their surroundings with visual intelligence courtesy of Camera Control. The latest iOS update is also now compatible with ChatGPT, which has been integrated into Writing Tools and Siri, giving them additional AI capabilities. iOS 18.2 also expands Apple Intelligence to different English language variants, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K.
Image Playground
Image Playground enables users to generate unique images with a modern, 3D animated look, or in an illustrated style with simple shapes and clear lines. The app can produce fun animated artwork of individuals or family members based on real photos, as well as generate illustrations of objects, places, and more. There's also the ability to add text descriptions. Image Playground is integrated into apps like Messages, Freeform, Keynote, and others, making it easy to integrate custom artwork into conversations and projects.
Genmoji
Sometimes you just cant quite find the right emoji to fit in your conversation. Genmoji solves this by creating bespoke emoji based on your description request. it'll give you multiple options to choose from, and Genmoji can generate emoji based on images from your photo library. Once an emoji has been created, it can then be customized with accessories like a hat or sunglasses, and can reflect themes or activities for extra personalization. Genmoji is easily accessed from messages, or can be shared as a sticker or reaction in a Tapback.
Image Wand
Image Wand transforms a rough sketch into a polished image by simply circling it. The feature is integrated into the Notes app tool palette, and it can even be used to generate image content to fill blank spaces by analysing the content of surrounding text. Choose from animated, illustration, or sketch styles.
Visual intelligence
The new Camera Control feature in iPhone 16 phones lets you learn about objects and places instantly. Camera Control also allows users to search Google so they can see where they can buy an item, or it can analyse diagrams and utilize ChatGPT to explain them. Visual intelligence can summarize text, translate, and detect phone numbers or email addresses.
ChatGPT
Now integrated into Siri and Writing Tools, users can benefit from ChatGPT's image- and document-understanding capabilities with no need to switch between apps. With the Compose feature, ChatGPT will also generate written content for any topic, and it can generate images to go alongside the text. A ChatGPT account is not required to access these generative features, users can choose whether or not to enable it, and what information is shared.
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Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.