11 Impressive Reveals From Apple at WWDC, Including AI Features & iPhone App Customisation

Every year, Apple fans look forward to its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where they typically introduce new devices and huge software updates. This year, however, there was less talk about gadgets and more about something already late to the game: AI.

Here are the 11 most impressive reveals (most related to AI_ according to X user @rowancheung, founder of The Rundown AI, a newsletter on the topic. However, an important point is that Apple Intelligence (more on this later) requires phones with the A17 chip or devices with at least M1 chips. That means it can run on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, the new iPhones coming out this fall, or any iPad or Mac with an M1 chip or later.

1. Using the iPad calculator as a piece of paper and getting answers immediately

The calculator previously wasn’t a built-in app on the iPad. Still, it is now introduced with a really cool feature: you can write (yes, write) your math problems, and the answer will appear in your handwriting (this is some Harry Potter-level stuff. Remember when he wrote into Voldemort’s diary?) when you write the = sign. It even works for some complicated Physics problems.

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2. Apple Intelligence

No, AI no longer stands for Artificial Intelligence for Apple users; it stands for Apple Intelligence. According to Wired, the system can collate all sorts of information on how you use your iPhone and use AI to provide a highly personalised system (read more on the following points).

This includes advanced writing tools that can generate full emails or messages or even review what you’ve written to change the tone of a work email (this is for those who struggle to think what to write).

It even has summarisation features to summarise a web article or catch you up to speed on a group chat if you haven’t followed messages for a while.

Apple emphasises that many of these AI capabilities are processed privately on the device itself and that it can only use secure cloud-based AI processing to complete your requests when necessary.

3. Apple will directly integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS.

As a heavy Apple user, this writer barely uses Siri, but that might change with this addition. Siri will tap into ChatGPT for ideas and present the answer directly, such as “menu ideas for an elaborate meal”. You can even share photos, documents, and presentations and ask for ideas. Siri even has a new look with an infinity-symbol-like logo and a new status alert when it listens to your request or generates a response.

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4. Siri will have on-screen awareness from Apple Intelligence.

This will allow it to act on a user’s behalf (not without your permission or command, we assume). Over the next year, Apple will roll out more features to make Siri more personal and capable. For example, if your friend sends you his new address, you can ask Siri to add it to his contact card. No more typing and pasting here and there.

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5. Tap to cash: pay another iPhone user by just tapping

Scanning QR codes to pay is fairly simple enough, but tech is making us lazier every day, and if there’s an easier option, why not? Tap to Cash is a quick and private way to send cash without sharing phone numbers or emails. We personally can’t wait to try this out.

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However, users have raised privacy and security concerns, with some saying this will allow them to be robbed too quickly and easily.

6. Apple Intelligence will sort out your most urgent Mail

Tired of spam in your inbox? Most of us have thousands of unread ads in our Mail, and sometimes this drowns out the important stuff. Apple Intelligence will understand the content of your email, determine what’s most urgent, and surface it to the top. We call this a huge plus for working folks.

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7. iPhone Mirroring: mirror your iPhone from your Mac

Being an Apple user is all about the convenience of its ecosystem, right? macOs 15 will allow you to mirror your iPhone with just a click on your Mac. This will allow you to interact with it wirelessly and use it like you normally would, without holding it physically in your hand. You can use your trackpad and keypad to give it instructions.

As someone who alternates between their iPhone and Mac, this will eliminate the minor inconvenience of occasionally reaching for my phone. Psst, for those at work, you could use your phone and pretend you’re working. You didn’t hear it from us.

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8. Apple Genmoji: customise your emojis

Let ‘em know how you really feel. Sure, new emojis are always being added, but sometimes you just can’t find the right one. Apple Intelligence will help you create an emoji from your keyboard and even provide different options. You can even make a Genmoji based on someone (this is perfect for annoying your friends).

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9. Image Playground: generate AI images and share them across apps

Create playful images in just seconds. Choose from various concepts like costumes, accessories, places, themes, etc. This gets added to the Image Playground in seconds, and there is no need to engineer the perfect prompt like most AI tools do. Your image previews get generated, and you can even send them via Messages. This creates AI images for you really quickly and easily.

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10. Apple Intelligence can personalise images based on people in your Photo Library

Wishing someone a happy birthday will never be the same again. Say bye to the same boring cake emojis and scroll through GIFs to send them on WhatsApp. This feature allows you to personalise photos of people in your library with AI, like adding a superhero cape for your mum.

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11. Customise your App Icons

The new ability to customise app icons has iPhone users excited. This ability will be available on iOS18 (yes, it has been available on Android phones for a long time). You can also customise and move around your apps however you like. There is also a dark mode for the apps.

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What do you think of the new features? Follow @rowancheung on X for more Apple and AI updates.

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Featured Image Credit: Apple, Laurenz Heymann on Unsplash