(Credit: Apple)
Apple released its iOS 18.4 update today, bringing Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro and the EU for the first time alongside a handful of updates for the company's AI suite.
The new features are relatively minor. The biggest one is Priority Notifications, which organizes your lock screen to help you sift through and find the most urgent items that demand a response.
Apple touted this feature when it unveiled Apple Intelligence in June 2024, and now it's finally here for supported iPhones, iPads, and Macs. A similar feature for emails has been available since the first Apple Intelligence release in October with iOS 18.1.
Apple also released a few small, AI-powered creative features. A new Sketch style in Image Playground "creates academic and highly detailed sketches," Apple says. With macOS Sequoia 15.4, also out today, you can now "create a memory movie on Mac by simply typing a description."
Vision Pro Gets More 'Intelligent'
Vision Pro users can now access Apple Intelligence features on their headset. It comes with a new Vision Pro app for iPhone, which requires iOS 18.4 and allows Vision Pro owners to queue up AR apps and content on their phones to watch later on the headset. The app also highlights new spatial experiences and information about the Vision Pro.
This update comes amid rumors of a push from Apple to add more visual AI across its device lineup, including AirPods and Apple Watches. While the features are a welcome addition to the headset for those who already own one, they are not a game-changer for those considering purchasing a Vision Pro, we found when testing out the visionOS 2.4 beta.
iOS 18.4: A Bit of a Snoozefest—Except for the EU
Apple has opted for a gradual rollout of Apple Intelligence, partly because some highly anticipated features—like Siri—just aren't ready. This has resulted in less momentum behind each launch, though it gives the company time to thoroughly test features to avoid problems like AI-powered notifications generating false headlines.
It's also been frustrating for consumers, who are now suing Apple for false advertising on the iPhone 16, which promised an "easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant while protecting user privacy." The promise of AI also failed to spur a "super cycle" of device upgrades over the holidays.
One reason for that was the lack of Apple Intelligence availability worldwide, particularly in China, and in languages other than English. That starts to change with iOS 18.4, which brings Apple Intelligence to the EU for the first time, and adds support for new languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), as well as localized English for Singapore and India.
Turn Off Apple Intelligence (Again)
Apple Intelligence was turned on by default with iOS 18.3. As CNET notes, upgrading to iOS 18.4 reactivates Apple Intelligence, even if you shut it off. Here's how to turn it off (or keep some of the more useful parts).