Apple Intelligence Expands to India and More Regions with iOS 18.4, Strengthening Privacy and AI Capabilities

Apple has announced the rollout of its Apple Intelligence features in India and other regions, introducing support for additional languages, including localized English for India and Singapore, as well as French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese.

The update is part of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4, bringing a suite of new tools to iPhone, iPad, and Mac users.

Key Apple Intelligence Features -

Writing Tools -

• Users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text in apps like Mail, Messages, Notes, Pages, and third-party applications.
• The Rewrite feature offers alternative versions of text and allows tone adjustments—professional, concise, or friendly.
• Proofread checks grammar, word choice, and sentence structure, providing suggestions with explanations.
• Summaries can be formatted as paragraphs, bullet points, tables, or lists.
• The "Describe Your Change" option enables custom edits, such as making a resume more dynamic or turning an invitation into a poem.

Photos App Enhancements -

• Natural Language Search allows users to find images by describing them, like “Maya dancing in a red dress,” including specific video moments.
• The Clean Up tool removes unwanted objects from photos while preserving the original scene.
• Memories creates video stories from text descriptions, selecting relevant photos and videos to build a narrative.

Image Playground -

• This feature generates unique images from text descriptions, themes, and photos of friends and family.
• Available in Messages, Freeform, Keynote, and as a standalone app, it supports styles like Animation, Illustration, and Sketch.

Genmoji -

• Users can create personalized emojis by describing them or using photos, adding accessories like hats or sunglasses.
• Genmoji can be used in Messages, as stickers, or in Tapback reactions.

Image Wand in Notes -

• Converts rough sketches into refined images or generates visuals from text context by circling empty space.
• Supports Animation, Illustration, and Sketch styles.

Priority and Focus Features -

• Priority Messages in Mail highlight urgent emails, such as boarding passes or event invitations, while summaries display key details at a glance.
• Smart Reply suggests quick responses and answers email questions.
• Notification Summaries condense long or stacked alerts, while Priority Notifications highlight time-sensitive messages.
• Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode limits notifications to only urgent ones.
• Audio recording, transcription, and summaries are now available in Notes and Phone, with call participants notified when a recording starts.

Siri Updates -

• Siri features a new glowing edge design on iPhone, iPad, and CarPlay screens and can be repositioned on Mac desktops.
• Users can switch between voice and text input seamlessly.
• Siri now understands speech pauses, maintains context across multiple requests, and can answer thousands of questions about Apple features, such as screen recording or Wi-Fi sharing.

Visual Intelligence -

• Available on iPhone 16, 16 Pro, 15 Pro, and 16e, it enables users to identify objects, translate text, or create calendar events from posters using Camera Control, Action Button, or Control Center.
• Connects to Google Search or ChatGPT for additional details, with users controlling third-party access.

ChatGPT Integration -

• Siri and Writing Tools can tap into ChatGPT for more complex queries, content creation, or generating images.
• Users must opt in, and no OpenAI account is required. OpenAI does not store requests or track IP addresses, though account holders follow OpenAI’s data policies.

Privacy Commitment -

Apple reinforced its commitment to privacy as the foundation of Apple Intelligence. Most processing happens on-device, while more complex tasks are handled through Private Cloud Compute on Apple Silicon servers, ensuring no data is stored or exposed. Notably, Apple is allowing independent experts to inspect its server code—a first in the industry—calling it a “significant leap forward for privacy in AI.”

Availability -

The update is available for free and will be rolled out over-the-air for supported devices, including iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 series, iPads with A17 Pro or M1 and later, and Macs with M1 or later. Users in India and other supported regions must install iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or macOS Sequoia 15.4 to access the new features.