If you want to run AI using the iPhone 16 line on day one, you must do this
If you were hoping to start messing around with Apple Intelligence as soon as your new iPhone 16 model arrives with iOS 18 pre-installed, you are going to have an extra month to wait. That's because the Apple Intelligence beta which will proofread and change the tone of your emails and texts, remove distractions from photographs, summarize emails and websites, keep transcriptions of your phone calls, and more, won't be available until iOS 18.1 is released in October.
There is a way to run Apple Intelligence on your new iPhone 16 model from day one and that is to install the iOS 18.1 Beta. Apple has just released iOS 18.1 Beta 3 for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Those using an iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have been able to install the exact same iOS 18.1 Beta build and use the AI-based features that Apple has made available.
Here is how you can install the iOS 18.1 Beta on your iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. All of these models have 8GB of RAM which is the minimum amount of memory required to run Apple Intelligence and explains why older models, including the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will not run Apple's AI features.
To install iOS 18.1 on eligible models, go to Settings > General > Software Update. From the top of the screen, you'll see two settings with one that says Automatic Update and one underneath that reads "Beta Updates." Press the latter button and make sure your checkmark is set on iOS 18 Developer Beta. This year, Apple has removed the $99 fee it used to charge developers to have that title.
If you want to use Apple Intelligence as soon as you receive your iPhone 16 model, you'll need to install iOS 18.1 Developer Beta. | Image credit PhoneArena
After you place the checkmark on iOS 18 Developer Beta, tap the back button at the upper left of the display and you should see the invitation to install the latest iOS 18.1 Developer Beta on the screen. Once you install it, you need to follow the directions to install the Apple Intelligence Beta on your phone.
More AI features are expected with the December release of iOS 18.2 and there will be even more next year. So far we have yet to see Apple's ChatGPT infusion with Siri, Genmoji which will create custom emoji from the user's brief description, the Image Playground which will create images to be used in such apps as Messages, Notes, Keynote, Pages, and more.
Remember that Beta software is typically not stable and certain features that you are used to using every day might not work correctly. Your daily battery life will also be diminished. However, since we are so close to the release of the final version of iOS 18.1, installing that Beta build should not pose too much of a problem. Still, you should back up your iPhone before installing the Beta.
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