iOS 18.3 may not be a major update in terms of new features, but it marks a significant advancement for Apple Intelligence, the suite of AI-powered tools Apple has been gradually rolling out. While this update mainly fine-tunes existing features, the most notable change is the default activation of Apple Intelligence, which was previously optional in iOS 18.1.
However, despite this shift, Apple Intelligence is far from perfect. Some of its features are already well-integrated, while others are still in need of refinement. For example, Apple has temporarily disabled AI-generated notifications for news and entertainment apps due to inaccuracies in the summaries. This move highlights that, while AI tools can be powerful, they are not yet fully polished and require further training before they can be trusted with more critical functions.
On a positive note, iOS 18.3 also introduces several enhancements to existing AI capabilities. One of the most notable changes is that AI-generated summaries, such as those for text messages, now appear in italicized text on the lock screen, making them easier to read at a glance. For iPhone 16 users, Visual Intelligence can now recognize objects like plants and animals and even add events to the Calendar app from images of flyers or posters. These updates demonstrate Apple’s ongoing commitment to refining its AI features, ensuring that they continuously improve rather than stagnate after release.
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However, Siri—the centerpiece of Apple’s AI ecosystem—has seen only incremental improvements so far. While the assistant has become better at understanding context and handling follow-up questions, the most anticipated features, such as on-screen awareness and cross-app interactions, are still missing. These improvements are expected to arrive in iOS 18.4 later this spring. Until then, Siri still lags behind competitors like Samsung’s Galaxy S25, which already boasts a more advanced AI assistant capable of performing actions across multiple apps.
In fact, Samsung has raised the bar by introducing features like the Gemini assistant, which enables cross-app commands, and a personalized “Now Brief” screen that displays contextually relevant information, such as upcoming appointments and traffic conditions. While Apple may not have rushed to implement these features, it will need to match or exceed Samsung’s efforts when it does launch its own solutions.
In summary, while iOS 18.3 makes significant strides in advancing Apple Intelligence, it’s clear that much work remains. Apple is actively refining its AI tools, but full-fledged functionality and personalization, particularly in Siri, are still in development. As more updates roll out, users can expect even more advanced features, but for now, the journey is far from complete. With expanded language support coming in April, Apple Intelligence will soon reach more users, opening the door for even more enhancements in the near future.