Users of an iPhone 16 (Pro) will soon be able to use the camera control to access Visual Intelligence. This Apple Intelligence feature helps users get information about objects and places faster than ever.
Visual Intelligence can recognize objects, buildings, plants, animals and more via the iPhone camera. Not only can the function tell you what it sees, but it can also show additional information such as opening hours of a restaurant.
Visual Intelligence for iPhone
With Visual Intelligence you can point the iPhone camera to an object, building, plant, animal, flyer, etc. to recognize it or request more information. For this, iPhone owners use the camera control that can be found exclusively on the iPhone 16 (Pro) models.
Operate with the camera controller
In a later update to iOS 18, Visual Intelligence will be linked to the camera control. By pressing and holding this button on the side you can consult the Apple Intelligence function.
You do this by pointing the camera at an object to do things like pull up the hours or reviews for a restaurant they pass, add an event from a flyer to their calendar, quickly identify a dog by breed, and more.
Access to additional information
The camera controller, in combination with Visual Intelligence, will also serve as a gateway to third-party tools with specific domain expertise, such as when users want to search Google to find where to purchase an item, or take advantage of ChatGPT’s problem-solving skills. Users have control over when third-party tools are used and what information is shared.
Conditions and availability
Visual Intelligence is not expected until a later update to iOS 18 and will only be available on the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. In addition, the feature only works in English (US) at the start.
Apple Intelligence in the EU
Apple Intelligence can be used on some iPhone, iPad and Mac models from iOS 18.1, but unfortunately not yet available in the EU. The possibilities of Apple Intelligence are great, but for the time being only available to users in the United States. AI will first be available in English (US) and later this year in other English-language variants. Next year, Apple Intelligence will be available in French, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese, among others.
Users can change the language of their device to use AI, but due to European legislation, Apple has limited this for the EU. This means that you have to take a few steps in the Netherlands and Belgium before you can use Apple Intelligence.