Apple fans eager to get their hands on all the new features of Apple Intelligence will have to wait a bit longer for some. While the new iOS 18 update arrives this fall as usual, many of the AI-powered features unveiled at WWDC will have a staggered release schedule.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect and when:

What you’ll get this fall:

• A limited selection of the headline features. This includes notification prioritization, the ability to summarize lengthy text, emails, and webpages, and the generation of images with Genmoji.
• Improved writing assistance with writing tools similar to Grammerly.
• Transcription capabilities expanding beyond Podcasts to cover other voice recordings, including improved voicemail transcription.
• The ability to solve math problems written out in Notes and other apps.

Important to note: Even these features launching this fall will be labeled as “previews,” with additional features trickling out later in 2024 or even early 2025.

Coming later in 2024:

• A redesigned Mail app with automatic email grouping by type.
• Additional features for the Home app.
• The ability to edit spatial video.
• Expanded features for Apple Vision Pro.
• Swift Assist, a coding assistant tool for developers.

What you’ll have to wait for in 2025:

• The biggest delay falls on the much-anticipated revamp of Siri, the virtual assistant. Advanced features that leverage “personal context” – like knowing your mom’s flight information or optimizing photos for messages – won’t be available until early 2025.
• Siri will still have the new interface and improved understanding of user queries from launch, but some functionalities will be limited.
• An enhanced “type to Siri” option will be available for those who prefer or need a non-verbal way to interact with Siri.

Why the wait?

Apple is strategically rolling out features for several reasons. First, it allows them to quickly add more languages to their AI systems. Second, it prevents them from spreading engineering resources too thin. Additionally, Apple is building massive server infrastructure for their Private Compute Cloud, which plays a role in these features.

Partnerships with AI companies like OpenAI will also play a part, particularly for users comfortable with chatbots. Limiting the initial scope of features allows for quicker fixes to any misinformation, a concern Apple takes very seriously.