Apple Releases iOS 18 Public Beta With Revamped Siri

Apple released the public beta of iOS 18 this week, allowing users to install the upcoming operating system on their supported iPhones before its official September rollout. This update introduces a significantly revamped Siri, now powered by Apple Foundation Models, which are based on Google's Gemini models. This enhancement aims to improve Siri's capability and accuracy in handling user requests.

The new Siri experience includes a dedicated app, offering an interface familiar to users of other AI chatbot applications like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. For the first time, users can revisit and continue previous conversations with Siri within this new app. This marks a substantial upgrade from Siri's previous performance, which was often criticized for its limitations with basic requests.

Beyond the AI advancements, iOS 18 also brings substantial improvements to the Photos app's editing tools. The "Clean Up" tool has been dramatically enhanced, enabling users to remove unwanted objects from photos with greater precision. This update addresses a long-standing desire for more robust AI-powered photo editing capabilities directly within the iPhone's native Photos application, aiming to produce cleaner and more professional-looking images.

The public beta provides early access to these features, including the more intelligent Siri and the improved photo editing tools. The official release of iOS 18 is scheduled for September, promising a more integrated and capable experience for iPhone users.