We got our first taste of Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.1, but there were many missing features. With iOS 18.2, we get a lot of them, including Visual Intelligence, image generation, ChatGPT integration, and more. And if you have an older iPhone or just aren’t interested in Apple Intelligence, there are quite a few welcome improvements in the iOS/iPadOS 18.2 release that are not related to AI, too.

However, while Siri’s interface changed in iOS 18.1, the new smarter Siri, one of the premier Apple Intelligence features, still isn’t a part of this release. That will likely be coming in iOS 18.3 in January or 18.4, due for release around March 2025. You can learn more about it in our article about upcoming Apple Intelligence features.

Apple announced Wednesday morning that iOS 18.2 will be arriving today. Apple usually pushes its software updates at 10am PT, but it could arrive at any moment.

Update December 11: Apple has released iOS 18.2 (and it’s fellow iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS updates).

iOS 18.2: New Apple Intelligence features

The Apple Intelligence features part of iOS 18.2 are still limited to just six phones: the entire iPhone 16 lineup and the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. If your phone supports it, there is a secondary waiting list to access certain features. If you were on the original waiting list for Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.1 you will get access to ChatGPT integration, Visual Intelligence, and the new Writing Tools features. But you’ll have to hop onto a second waiting list for the image generation features—Genmoji, Image Playground, and the Image Wand tool.

Here’s are all of the new Apple Intelligence features available in iOS 18.2:

Writing Tools: Instead of just choosing to make a selection of text more professional, causal, or concise, you will have a freeform field to describe how you want to transform text. Examples: make this a poem, include a lot of dad jokes, or use a lot of sarcasm.

Genmoji: Create a new emoji right on the system keyboard.

Image Playground: Generate new images based on text prompts. Apple will suggest new costumes, items, or locations, and will make suggestions based on the context of a Messages thread or note in the Notes app. Images can be based on people you know by using identified images in Photos. Images are limited to cartoon or illustrative styles rather than realistic.

Visual Intelligence: For iPhone 16 owners with the Camera Control button. Press and hold Camera Control to get additional information about a location, translate a sign or poster, detect phone numbers and addresses to quickly add to Contacts, and more. You can also tap a button to ask ChatGPT about what’s on screen, or another to perform a Google image search.

Image Wand: An offshoot of Image Playground, this uses Apple’s image generation tools to create an image in an open area on a note in the Notes app, using the context from the surrounding area and the rest of the note. Start with a blank area or a rough sketch you make yourself.

ChatGPT integration: If Siri can’t answer a question, it now has the option to ask ChatGPT. You need to give permission for each request and only limited data is shared. You don’t need to log into ChatGPT, but you are able to if you want to, or have a premium ChatGPT account you wish to use. You can ask Siri to have ChatGPT generate images., and use ChatGPT in the Writing Tools to generate text, too.

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Foundry

iOS 18.2: Other new features

In addition to the new user-facing features below, there are new developer tools for integrating image generation and writing tools into third-party apps. Apple Intelligence is localized into English for Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK in this release.

Default Apps: Users worldwide have a new “Default Apps” section at the top Settings > Apps, where you can choose your default email, messaging, calling, call filtering, browser, password app, and keyboard. The messaging and calling options are new, and the other options have all been brought under a single menu.

EU-specific features: In the EU, third-party browser that use their own custom web engines can now add web apps. EU users will also be able to delete the App Store.

AE/AF Lock: In Settings > Camera, you’ll find a new toggle for a light press on the Camera Control button to lock exposure and focus.

Find My share item location: Find My will let you share the location of an AirTag (or other Find My compatible item) with a trusted person. The link can be opened on a non-Apple device and expires after a week.

Mail app categories: The Mail app gets its AI-powered auto-category feature, splitting your inbox into Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions.

Volume limits and lock screen slider: You’ll be able to set volume limits for media playing from the iPhone’s speaker, and can restore the volume bar to the media card on the lock screen.