Apple is about to release iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS 15.3, as well as new versions of watchOS 11.3, tvOS 18.3, and the HomePod firmware. This week, the release candidate versions (RC) were distributed to developers, along with release notes that reveal the new features Apple is planning. Due to the gradual rollout of Apple Intelligence, a number of fresh features are emerging, which is unusual for an already stable operating system.
As usual, Apple’s AI system can only be used when the system is set to English. In Europe, an App Store ID from a market where Apple Intelligence is already approved, such as the USA, is also required. A German version of Apple Intelligence is expected with iOS 18.4 and macOS 15.3 in April. The initial functionality of this version is still unknown, and Apple’s ongoing dispute with the EU Commission over the App Store and its business model could have an impact on this.
iOS and iPadOS 18.3 come with improved AI notification summaries. These can now be managed from the lock screen and turned off if necessary. AI summaries are now immediately recognizable by italic text. Apple has had issues with false information and other problems, where users could not easily identify AI errors. News and entertainment apps are temporarily disabled for AI summaries while Apple works on improving its language model to prevent hallucinations, if possible. When notification summaries are generally active, they will be re-enabled for this app category at a later time. Visual Intelligence on the iPhone 16 (all models) can now recognize plants and animals, as well as dates from posters and flyers, which can be directly added to the calendar.
Bug fixes in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 address Siri (keyboard disappeared after a type-to-Siri request), Apple Music (audio playback did not stop even after closing the app), and the calculator (restored old function for repeated application of a mathematical function by pressing the equals sign). Apple has also decided to automatically enable Apple Intelligence on supported devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac) in the future.
macOS 15.3 brings the Genmoji feature to the Mac for the first time, which was previously only available on mobile devices. The AI notification summaries can now also be managed from the lock screen and are easier to recognize (because they are italic). News and entertainment apps are also temporarily blocked here. The calculator receives the repetition function that is available in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Various security patches are also expected, although Apple has not yet provided any details. iOS 18.3, macOS 15.3, and other updates could be released early next week.