Apple fans have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of iOS 18.1. The update will bring the first features of Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI-powered suite. It will also bring hearing tests and hearing aid support to the AirPods Pro. Now, Apple has confirmed that it will launch iOS 18.1 stable next week.
For some time now, multiple sources have speculated that Apple would begin rolling out stable iOS 18.1 on October 28 for all eligible devices. The update has been in beta for a while now, so many have already been able to try the handful of improvements.
Apple to launch iOS 18.1 stable next week; Apple Intelligence on board
Starting with Apple Intelligence, it is worth noting that it will only be available on a few iPhone models. The supported devices are the whole iPhone 16 series, the iPhone 15 Pro, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Unfortunately, just over a year after its launch, users of the vanilla and Plus variants of the iPhone 15 are not eligible for the upgrade.
Apple Intelligence will bring a number of advanced features to compatible devices. The suite will include intelligent audio recording that supports summaries, writing tools that can both correct and modify the tone of your writing, and more. Apps like Apple Mail, Notes, and Pages will integrate a “Summarize” feature that will be especially useful if you receive a lot of long emails every day, among other use cases. The “Summarize” feature will also be present in the Safari browser, offering summaries of website content.
Users in EU countries will have to wait longer to access Apple AI features. The Cupertino giant still has to catch up with regional data privacy regulations. There’s no date yet for the rollout of Apple Intelligence on the old continent, but let’s hope it doesn’t take long. After all, it’s the main selling point of the iPhone 16 series.
Hearing tests and hearing aid support for AirPods Pro
The iOS 18.1 update will also bring support for hearing tests and hearing aid features to the AirPods Pro. Previously, earbud makers were unable to offer products with such a feature over-the-counter in the US. However, that changed in late 2022, likely due to the huge growth of the TWS earbuds market. Anyway, Apple got FDA approval for hearing aid support for its earbuds in September.
So, AirPods Pro users will be able to use them to do tests that can detect potential hearing loss. This way, they’ll know if it’s time to go to a professional to treat their hearing. Lastly, AirPods Pro will be able to act as hearing aids, so people with hearing conditions will be able to use them to amplify the sound around them.
