Apple has finally released a huge update in the UK but it only works on the very latest iPhones.
After months and months of waiting, Apple Intelligence has finally landed in the UK. This blockbuster upgrade – which is totally free to use – is all about making the iPhone smarter with new features such as automatic image editing, clever writing tools and improved Siri all baked into this massive software release.
It’s one of Apple’s biggest ever changes but sadly you won’t be able to access Apple Intelligence if you don’t own an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max or a new iPhone 16 model. That’s because it is only these devices that have enough power to cope with the demands of such a data-hungry update.
If you have an iPhone 15, iPhone 14 model or iPhone 13 and have been thinking about upgrading this could be a very good time to make the switch to the iPhone 16 as you’ll not only get a more powerful smartphone but it will also give you free access to Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone 16 starts from £799 but there are some deals that make it feel a little more affordable.
For example, Sky Mobile has deals that start from just £25 per month for the iPhone 16 and Mobiles.co.uk are selling this Apple Intelligence-ready device for just £25 per month via Vodafone.
What is Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence was first announced all the way back in June but only started rolling out last week as part of iOS 18.2.
Packed inside this free update are tools to help you write emails, proofread messages and offer instant summaries to make it quicker to find information within your chats. That means one simple tap on the screen will quickly show you what’s been said in an entire thread of emails.
Love sending texts? Users can also now create unique emojis – called Genmojis – just by typing in a description – the options are endless and can even be sent to Android devices as well as older iPhones. There’s also the ability to produce personalised illustrations using the new Image Playground app. Just explain what you’d like to feature in the piece of artwork and Apple Intelligence will do the rest.
Selfies and family snaps can be retouched in a flash with photo bombers removed automatically using the clever new Clean Up tool.
Apple’s Siri assistant also gets smarter and more resilient at answering requests – it now doesn’t matter if you stumble or pause – plus there’s even full integration with ChatGPT which makes search results and answers much more advanced.
Other extras include Visual Intelligence which can scan text or tell you what something is by simply pointing the camera at it and the Photos app gets smarter with better search finding your favourite photos faster.
If you’ve dreamed of being an artist but your drawing skills don’t quite match your imagination, Image Wand is also included and will transform a rough sketch into something more gallery-worthy.
If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 device just head to Settings > General > Software Updates and tap Download and Install .