The scope of your iPhone’s AI-Powered features
Most of your iPhone features that make your life easier are powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Since the launch of the iOS 10, Apple has been pushing updates in order to enable iPhones to “think differently”. Your iPhone can think on your behalf by understanding where you are, what you’re up to, and what you need to know, in order to help you save time and reduce stress.
Apple was the first manufacturer to integrate AI in its products with the launch of Siri in July 2014. The initial version of the smart assistant was fraught with imperfections. But over the years, Apple has made great strides in perfecting the technology, leveraging Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning Neural Networks, Convolutional Neural Networks, Gated Recurrent Units, and other technologies.
However, Apple has remained tight-lipped on the real nature of these enhancements, disclosing just the bare minimum. As such, many iPhone users are hardly aware of the extent to which AI enables features in their phones.
You might be aware of AI-powered Siri features such as suggestions to call your loved ones on their birthdays, suggestions to start a playlist when you’re at the gym, suggestions to turn on the Do Not Disturb feature, etc.
However, there’s a good chance you’re unaware of other AI-powered features your iPhone uses.
9 AI-powered features of iPhones you’re probably unaware of
A screen that lights up automatically when you lift the phone: iPhone users don’t need to press any button bring their phones to life. iPhones now come with an AI-powered accelerometer which detects movements when you pick up your phone to operate it, waking up the screen automatically. The feature also detects when you put the phone down, dimming the screen light accordingly.
AI-powered task sequences: The new Siri Shortcuts app automates a series of tasks that you string together, and creates a routine which can be activated with touch or voice commands. For instance, you can set a voice command like ‘Waking up’ to trigger a series of actions such as launching the news app, turning on the bathroom’s water heater, etc.
Route suggestions on the Maps app: The Map app is powered by AI to help you negotiate your way around traffic jams during your commute. The app also saves information on your regular routes and will suggest those to you. It also scours through your calendar to prepare directions to meeting venues ahead of time.
Automated text responses: Your text conversations can be guided by your iPhone’s AI-powered texting features. These features can send texts automatically to people you’ve booked an appointment with when you’re running late for meetings, suggest a favorable slot on your calendar to book new meetings, and more.
The Photo app’s facial recognition feature: This new feature enables your Photo app to recognize and group photographs of people – for instance, photos of your loved ones, work colleagues, role models, etc. This feature was first released on Apple’s Mac computers. However, it differs from that of the Mac in that it processes photographs locally on the phone, rather than on the cloud, hence allowing for more security and privacy. In addition, the Photo app comes with a new ‘For You’ tab that prompts you to share photographs taken with others, and also suggests to others that they should share their own photographs with you after they receive yours.
Voicemail transcription: Your iPhone can now transcribe your voicemails and automatically save them as texts. This gives you the option of scanning through the written copy of voicemails, in case you find that more convenient than listening to the messages.
Third-party AI-powered features: Apple has released developer tools that allow third-party software developers to integrate Siri suggestions within their apps. With this integration, Siri will note down activities performed by users on various apps, and generate suggestions concerning the use of these third-party apps in the future. Users themselves can ask Siri to bring up such suggestions automatically at any point in time by using the “Add to Siri” buttons found in those apps.
Automated creation of video footage highlights: The new Memories app compiles video snippets and photos of events such as birthday parties, into a highlight video. It uses facial recognition and machine learning to identify and compile snippets and photos that only feature people who are important to you. It also allows you to modify the videos by making them longer or shorter, or by emphasizing particular moments or actions.
The new News App that automatically groups stories: This new automation feature sorts news articles into different groups to allow you easy access to what you’d consider to be most important.
Conclusion
Artificial Intelligence is behind the many automated features of your iPhone. The technology has molded your handset into a virtual assistant of some sort, setting reminders and schedules, and making suggestions even without your request. With frequent updates to your iOS from Apple, your iPhone becomes even smarter, making the interaction between you and your handset more beneficial than having a simple communication device.
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