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February 23, 2025
The release of the first developer beta of iOS 18.4 marks an important step for Apple and its AI ambitions in Germany. With the update, expected to be available to all users in early April, Apple is integrating its AI features, known as Apple Intelligence, directly into iPhones and iPads within the EU, including Germany. Until now, the use of these features in the EU was only possible through workarounds, as Apple hesitated to fully release the technology due to regulatory uncertainties related to the Digital Markets Act.
A central aspect of this expansion is the improved language support. While Apple Intelligence previously functioned primarily in English, the system will also support German, French, Italian, and Spanish starting with iOS 18.4. This allows users to access the AI features without having to change the system language of their device.
With iOS 18.4, all known Apple Intelligence features are expected to become available in the EU. This includes the integration of ChatGPT into Siri, text editing, image and emoji generation, and the summarization of emails and messages, now also in German. In addition, iOS 18.4 introduces automatic notification prioritization, which is intended to highlight important and time-sensitive messages – a feature that already exists in Apple Mail, but still has room for optimization there.
For developers, Apple offers new interfaces for integrating Apple Intelligence into their own apps. One example of this is "Smart Replies," which are generated responses to messages. This expansion allows developers to incorporate Apple's AI capabilities into their applications and thus improve the user experience.
Although the integration of Apple Intelligence in iOS is extensive, major improvements for Siri are not yet forthcoming. The innovations in iOS 18.4 are limited to a revised user interface and the ability to control Siri via text input. However, Apple plans to equip Siri in the future with user context information, the ability to recognize screen content, and improved integration of third-party apps. These more extensive updates are expected to appear only in the coming months and over the course of 2026.
With the beta version of visionOS 2.4, Apple Intelligence is also making its way into the Vision Pro, Apple's VR headset. Initially, however, support is limited to US English, and key features like "Visual Intelligence," which provides information about objects in the environment, are still missing.
The introduction of Apple Intelligence in Germany and the EU marks an important milestone for Apple. With improved language support and numerous features, Apple offers its users an enhanced AI experience. It remains to be seen when further features, such as iPhone synchronization, will be available in the EU. The development of Siri and the integration of Apple Intelligence into future products and operating systems will reveal the further development of Apple's AI strategy.
Sources: - computerbild.de: https://www.computerbild.de/artikel/cb-News-Handy-iOS-18.4-Apple-Intelligence-deutschland-39471249.html - msn.com: https://www.msn.com/de-de/lifestyle/shopping/ios-18-4-beta-apple-intelligence-probt-den-deutschlandstart/ar-AA1zxiF2 - chip.de: https://www.chip.de/news/iOS-18.4-Beta-ist-da-Deutsche-Nutzer-bekommen-massig-neue-Funktionen-auf-ihr-iPhone_185777946.html - threads.net: https://www.threads.net/@apfeltalk_gmbh/post/DGWCbfAIWU9 - heise.de: https://www.heise.de/thema/Apple-Intelligence - ng-it.de: https://www.ng-it.de/ios-18-4-beta-apple-intelligence-probt-den-deutschlandstart/ - paules-pc-forum.de: https://www.paules-pc-forum.de/forum/thread/217569-ios-18-4-beta-apple-intelligence-probt-den-deutschlandstart/?action=firstNew - socialpromo.de: https://socialpromo.de/21/02/2025/ios-18-4-beta-apple-intelligence-probt-den-deutschlandstart/ - appgefahren.de: https://www.appgefahren.de/erste-beta-von-ios-18-4-ist-da-apple-intelligence-auf-deutsch-nutzen-374414.html