Apple launches iOS 18.2 update featuring Apple Intelligence: Image Playground, Genmoji, and more features explored

Apple has unveiled its latest operating system update, iOS 18.2. With the latest update, the global tech brand is taking a significant leap in integrating artificial intelligence and creative tools.

It has released updates to iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2. However, the update that is making fans most excited is that Apple has expanded its Apple Intelligence suite, introducing features like Image Playground, Genmoji, enhanced Writing Tools, and ChatGPT integration.

Exploring the latest iOS 18.2

In 2023, the introduction of Apple Intelligence marked the company's first step into advanced AI, which promised to come with creativity and privacy both. The iOS 18.2 update builds on this foundation while expanding its reach. This update is 7.45 GB in size.

Below is how the brand introduced this update via an official press release:

"Apple today announced the release of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, introducing a brand-new set of Apple Intelligence features that will elevate users’ experience with iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and builds on the first set of capabilities already introduced."

It continues:

"Apple Intelligence is the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant intelligence while taking an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI."

iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 (Image via Apple)

Image Playground

The Image Playground is one of the key features of this update. It allows users to create custom visuals easily. Users can generate images in various styles, such as Animation or Illustration, by describing concepts like themes, costumes, or places.

The feature integrates with apps such as Messages, Keynote, and Freeform. It also comes as a standalone iPhone, iPad, and Mac app. Here is how Apple is describing this feature of iOS 18.2:

"Image Playground generates images in distinct styles, including Animation — a modern, 3D-animated look — and Illustration, which offers images with simple shapes, clear lines, and colorblocking."

Genmoji

Genmoji is another interesting feature of this latest update. Users can now describe their desired emoji, and Apple Intelligence generates multiple emoji options to choose from. Photos from the user's library can further personalize their generative emoji.

Here is what the brand had to mention about this feature:

"With images from their photo library, users can take Genmoji even further by creating one that is inspired by a friend or family member."

It continues:

"Personalized Genmoji can be customized with accessories, like a hat or sunglasses, and can reflect themes or activities to make them even more personal and unique. Just like emoji, Genmoji can be added inline to messages, or shared as a sticker or reaction in a Tapback."

Image Wand

iOS 18.2 also gives the Notes app a makeover with the new Image Wand. It can transform any roughly drawn image into an aesthetic one! Below is how the brand is describing this feature:

"The Notes app gets new tools to make note-taking more visual and dynamic. With Image Wand in the tool palette, users can quickly create images in their note using the written or visual context already captured within the note."

It continues:

"Image Wand transforms a rough sketch into a polished image by simply circling it. Users can even circle empty space within a note, and Image Wand will gather context from the surrounding area — using on-device generative models to analyze the handwritten or typed text — to create a relevant image that complements the note and makes it more visual."

Writing Tools

The Writing Tools update comes with a Describe Your Change option. It lets the users have more control over text editing. This feature can be useful to ensure that the text aligns well with the user's intent.

Here is what the brand had to state in its official press release:

"Writing Tools build on the existing options of Rewrite, Proofread, and Summarize with the new ability for users to specify the change they’d like to make, using the new Describe Your Change option."

It continues:

"Describe Your Change gives users even more flexibility and control when they’d like to make their writing sound more expressive, such as to add more dynamic action words to their resume or even rewrite a dinner party invitation in the form of a poem, and more."

It can be integrated systemwide, which allows this tool to function across Apple apps and third-party platforms.

Visual Intelligence with Camera Control

The next new feature in iOS 18.2 is Visual Intelligence with Camera Control. For the iPhone 16, Camera Control now features Visual Intelligence, which allows for interacting with the surroundings in new ways.

ChatGPT is also leveraged into this useful feature. Below is what is officially mentioned regarding this feature on the brand's website:

"Visual intelligence can summarize and copy text, translate text between languages, detect phone numbers or email addresses with the option to add to contacts, and more."

It continues:

"Camera Control also allows users to search Google so they can see where they can buy an item, or benefit from ChatGPT’s problem-solving skills to ask for an explanation about a complex diagram, such as from class notes. Users are in control of when third-party tools are used and what information is shared."

ChatGPT Integration

Apple has also integrated ChatGPT into Siri and Writing Tools in iOS 18.2. Users can benefit from it on iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS. Siri can now suggest using ChatGPT for tasks such as answering complex queries or generating content.

ChatGPT with Siri and Writing Tools (Image via Apple)

Below is what Apple's press release mentioned about this new feature:

"Users can choose whether to enable ChatGPT integration, and are in full control of when to use it and what information is shared with ChatGPT."

It continues:

"By default, a ChatGPT account is not required to use this integration. When using ChatGPT without an account, OpenAI will not store requests, and will not use the data for model training."

This latest release also comes with an important strategy to expand Apple Intelligence. It has been updated with localized English support for regions like Australia, Canada, and the U.K. More languages, including French, German, and Japanese, are expected in the future.

The iOS 18.2 update is available now across supported devices.