Artificial Intelligence! It's been the buzzword of the past 18 months, with countless apps and companies popping up to tell us the benefits that algorithmic smart software can have on your daily life. Yet Apple has been mostly silent on AI -- so far.
Recent rumors suggest that WWDC 2024, the company’s yearly developer conference, will showcase a slew of AI features for iOS 18, the next major software update to its iPhones. Some apps are reportedly set to be given AI improvements under the hood, instead of a visual glow-up. Others might get the full monty.
We’ve spoken in the past about how AI can be a force for good, with apps like MacWhisper using an LLM (Large Language Model) to transcribe audio and video files into text with great accuracy. Apple seems to be following this helpful narrative as well, instead of looking into other types of generative AI — which Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot assistants have no issue showcasing.
With this in mind, we’ve listed five apps from Apple below that could benefit the most from Apple AI, and how it could help you in your daily life, instead of attempting to replace you.
Notes
Apple has announced new features for the Notes app at WWDC in previous years: For example, iOS 17 lets you link up one note with another thanks to a tag, giving you easy access to go between a series of notes if needed. iOS 16 had plenty more new features for the app as well, such as being able to lock a note with your iPhone’s passcode, and better ways to refine smart folders with more filters.
What we want to see
For iOS 18, there’s already a rumor that hints toward calculations being featured in the app. For instance, if you have a lot of notes that include budgets and shopping lists, Apple AI could sort them into an easy-to-read summary. Perhaps these could show how much is left to spend on a budget.
Apple Music
Since Apple Music’s debut in 2015, the company’s music app has gotten better and far more reliable. You can create shared playlists with friends and family, Spatial Audio is available in thousands of tracks, and much more. Yet it still feels as though the app has a long way to go when it comes to curation.
What we want to see
Apple AI and Siri could supercharge Apple Music in a bunch of aspects. Imagine an evening when you ask Apple’s assistant to curate a playlist from a five-word prompt, or a vibe or a mood. Or, similar to Spotify’s efforts, an AI DJ could play a variety of tracks that change depending on where you are and what the weather’s like. This way, artists from a place you’re visiting could be featured.
Apple Maps
Apple Maps has traveled a long and winding road since its debut in 2012 with iOS 6. Maps were usually incorrect, long stretches of highways were absent, and ... well, you know this story already. iOS 17 brought two features to Maps — downloadable maps for when the iPhone has no data coverage, and improvements to electric vehicle charging station locations.
What we want to see
For iOS 18, Apple Maps could leverage Apple AI to work with the company’s other apps. For instance, Maps could check Apple Weather and generate alternative routes based on rain conditions. If you’re driving to someone’s house and they message you to pick something up from the grocery store, AI in Maps could automatically re-route you to the nearest one -- with the product’s availability and price being shown in the app.
Messages
Apple’s messaging service is already set to get the RCS protocol in a future update, which is likely to land in iOS 18. RCS is a slight improvement compared to SMS and MMS, as it features read receipts and the ability to send and receive high-quality media. Yet the bigger feature that iOS 17 brought was swipe right to reply. Could iOS 18 match and raise this winning feature with an AI push?
What we want to see
First off, AI could be a great help for accessibility in iMessage. If someone communicates in sign language, AI can transcribe that into text. In addition, the service could switch on the ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature for people automatically when in certain locations, such as work or the doctor. As well as this, a generated message could be sent when you’re not available — that could apply to when you’re driving, or if your iPhone has no cellular service.
Fitness
Apple Fitness debuted with Apple Watch almost ten years ago, and it’s since evolved from just being an app to also offering a subscription service. Everyone approaches fitness in different ways, which is why AI could be a useful tool for budding fitness enthusiasts.
What we want to see
Apple AI could use your Health data to curate a fitness plan, as well as to recommend certain recipes based on prompts of what your favorite foods are. AI could also power an interactive contact in iMessage. For example, if, one day, you say that you’d rather focus on upper body strength for the Gym later that evening, Apple AI could curate a plan and a post-fitness meal to give you a tailored push for that workout.
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