Apple Intelligence compatibility and release date prediction: Every device that will feature Apple's new AI

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iPhone 15 owners look away now.

AI
(Image credit: Apple)
WWDC 2024

WWDC 2024

(Image credit: Apple)

1. iOS 18 — what's next for iPhone?
2. iPadOS 18 — will Apple finally unleash the power of iPad?
3. macOS 15 — what's new for Mac?
4. Apple Intelligence — what will it be able to do?

Apple Intelligence is here and ushers in a new era for Apple software as AI implementation arrives for all the best iPhones, best iPads, and best Macs.

The new feature that harnesses its power throughout iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia will allow users to quickly summarize emails and web pages, create images from prompts, proofread writing, and even generate emojis when it arrives in beta later this year.

While Apple Intelligence was the most exciting reveal at WWDC 2024, the AI improvements are only available on a select few devices — owners of one of the most recent iPhones are also in for a shock. Here are all the Apple devices compatible with Apple Intelligence.

Apple Intelligence compatibility — no room for iPhone 15

The following products are compatible with Apple Intelligence running on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, or macOS Sequoia:

  • iPhone 15 Pro
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • iPad Air (M1 and later)
  • iPad Pro (M1 and later)
  • MacBook Air (M1 and later)
  • MacBook Pro (M1 and later)
  • iMac (M1 and later)
  • Mac mini (M1 and later)
  • Mac Studio (M1 Max and later)
  • Mac Pro (M2 Ultra)

Notice a glaring omission? That's right the iPhone 15, one of the best smartphones available right now will not work with Apple Intelligence. That means if you purchased an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus in the last year you're out of luck when it comes to experiencing the future of Apple's software.

This is a huge blow for those who have recently bought an iPhone 15, especially considering the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro will be arriving later this year. At the time of writing, we're unsure if the iPhone 16 will be compatible with Apple Intelligence but you'd expect all of the newest iPhones to take advantage of the best software experience Apple has to offer.

When does Apple Intelligence come out?

There isn't an official release date for Apple Intelligence but Apple says the features will appear in the developer betas and public betas later this summer. The features are expected to launch in beta when iOS 18 becomes available later in the fall.

iPhone 15 Pro | $999 at Apple

iPhone 15 Pro | $999 at Apple

The best iPhone available can harness all of Apple Intelligence's power.

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All the latest on the newly announced iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, visionOS 2, and Apple Intelligence.

John-Anthony Disotto
John-Anthony Disotto
How To Editor

John-Anthony Disotto is the How To Editor of iMore, ensuring you can get the most from your Apple products and helping fix things when your technology isn’t behaving itself. Living in Scotland, where he worked for Apple as a technician focused on iOS and iPhone repairs at the Genius Bar, John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade and prides himself in his ability to complete his Apple Watch activity rings. John-Anthony has previously worked in editorial for collectable TCG websites and graduated from The University of Strathclyde where he won the Scottish Student Journalism Award for Website of the Year as Editor-in-Chief of his university paper. He is also an avid film geek, having previously written film reviews and received the Edinburgh International Film Festival Student Critics award in 2019.  John-Anthony also loves to tinker with other non-Apple technology and enjoys playing around with game emulation and Linux on his Steam Deck.

In his spare time, John-Anthony can be found watching any sport under the sun from football to darts, taking the term “Lego house” far too literally as he runs out of space to display any more plastic bricks, or chilling on the couch with his French Bulldog, Kermit. 

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • baccusboy
    I understand why many people are upset that their iPhone 15, 14 Pro, etc. aren't getting AI features at this point. However, this situation could actually be advantageous. Here’s why:

    First, if you have one of the newest iPhone models with a large amount of RAM, it won't be slowed down by resident AI processes. Many people who don't want AI features, viewing them as intrusive, may prefer to buy your high-end phone on the used market because it’s updated but not overloaded with AI.

    Additionally, those of us with older iPhones can choose not to upgrade and save money. If you really want AI features, consider subscribing to ChatGPT directly. Their full-featured AI service is much more powerful than the lighter versions offered on phones, which mainly promote their own services. The best features of ChatGPT are only available through a paid subscription. AI on the iPhone will be relatively basic for at least three years, until you likely upgrade anyway.

    Lastly, you can often purchase an AI package which includes as much as 1TB of storage for your photos or files in a bundle. Look into other Ai such as Copilot, Genesis, Claude, or buy direct from Chat GPT. You might be able to cut out you i-tunes subscription and divest a bit from the company that wants to upsell you at every turn.

    Ask yourself... do you really need to ask Siri and Apple Intelligence to do things that you normally don't want to voice out loud in public, and can do yourself anyway?

    So, keep your phone, save money, or spend less than an upgrade would cost, and enjoy superior AI directly from the company that created it.
    Reply