Siri’s big upgrade starts now, but you’ll need the right iPhone to access it. In iOS 18’s latest developer preview, Siri gets a glow-up. Like, the whole phone actually glows around the edges when you invoke Siri. A splash screen reintroduces you to the virtual assistant once you enable Apple Intelligence, an early version now available on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max in a developer beta. You’ll know Siri is listening when the edges of the screen glow, making it obvious that something different is going on.

The big Siri AI update is still months away. This version comes with meaningful improvements to language understanding, but future updates will add features like awareness of what’s on your screen and the ability to take action on your behalf. Meanwhile, the rest of the Apple Intelligence feature set previewed in this update feels like a party waiting for the guest of honor.

New Interaction Methods:

- Tapping the bottom of the screen twice brings up a new way to interact with Siri: through text.

- Improved natural language parsing, understanding follow-up questions better.

Apple Intelligence in Other Apps:

- Mail App: New summarize button at the top of each email.

- Text and Highlight: New “writing tools” with AI proofreading, writing suggestions, and summaries.

Notes App:

- Add voice recordings with automatic transcriptions.

- Apple Intelligence turns recording transcripts into summaries or checklists.

Photos App:

- AI-enhanced search tool for more complex requests, like finding photos of specific people wearing glasses or food you ate in Iceland.

Summary:

Despite the light show, Siri is about the same as ever, mostly remaining a “let me Google that for you” machine. The most significant updates are still to come, with Siri gaining awareness of what's on your screen and being able to take action in apps for you. All of the pieces of Apple Intelligence available so far could be the building blocks of a better Siri.