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With the iOS 18.3 update, Apple is adding new Visual Intelligence features for the iPhone 16 models. After installing the software, iPhone 16 users will be able to add an event to the Calendar app when using the Camera Control Visual Intelligence option to view a poster or a flyer.

Visual-Intelligence-Feature-2.jpg

Using Visual Intelligence to add an event to Calendar was a promised function that Apple showed off when introducing Camera Control, and it will be usable in iOS 18.3. To add an event, view a document such as a poster with a date, and then tap on the date when the feature pops up in the Visual Intelligence interface.

The update also adds a feature for easily identifying plants and animals with Visual Intelligence. The Photos app is already able to provide insight into plants, animals, and insects when opting to view additional information in the editing interface, but Camera Control will now show these details in real-time.

When viewing an animal or a plant with Visual Intelligence, you may see a tappable bubble that lets you know what you're looking at. Tapping it provides more information.

ios-18-3-camera-control-animals.jpg

Visual Intelligence is an Apple Intelligence feature that is exclusive to the iPhone 16 models. It can be activated by long pressing on the Camera Control button.

Article Link: iOS 18.3 Adds New Visual Intelligence Features for iPhone 16
 
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I guess it comes down to how potent it is, visual search is not new anymore but there's always room for improvement (not that I will get to see it for myself on my iPhone 14, but perhaps it'll make its way to my iPad Air M2 eventually).
 
So, my 15PM’s cpu is not capable of running this feature just like new photography styles.
At best/worst, they could have offered it as a subscriptions upgrade. Yeah, also annoying. But more annoying being kept off something for no particular reason whatsoever.
 
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So many buttons always.
Friction that guarantees people will stop using it. I stopped using VI after the second or third try, months ago. Now it's just an annoying thing that gets accidentally triggered when I'm trying to use the camera.

It's just another proof of concept for future Glasses anyway. Just like every AR feature. No one is going to use it when it requires holding up your phone as a viewfinder. But when you're wearing the view finder, and future processors can run VI on every single thing you're looking at, the potential experiences make the imagination run wild.
 
I find it a bit odd that this feature is gatekept behind the Camera Control. Sure it's convenient but it definitely could've worked on other devices.
 
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While Visual Intelligence overall seems very useful (e.g. searching objects in photos), this particular addition seems like a marginally useful capability at best. Why is Apple prioritizing this over much more useful applications of AI - such as improving junk filtering in Messages. I get inundated with unsolicited SMS in the dozens every day - but Apple provides nearly zilch help with it. The blocking of sources not in ones Contacts database is so woefully inadequate, it's pathetic.
 
I hope the Right to Privacy Groups take a hard look at this one.
Apple just want us to turn on the cameras and microphones and just let it roll....
The Nvidia Matrix will just get bigger.
Clones of thyself.
 
At best/worst, they could have offered it as a subscriptions upgrade. Yeah, also annoying. But more annoying being kept off something for no particular reason whatsoever.

Actually it's not for no reason. In fact, Apple has a very good reason. They want you to buy an iPhone 16! 😂

I too have a 15 Pro and it is seemingly technically capable of this. Perhaps the neural engine in the 15 Pro would make it too slow as a feature. The neural engines do make a difference with Apple intelligence - my M1Pro laptop and my M4Pro mini are noticeably different with AI tasks.
 
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Surprisingly visual intelligence works well when asked to describe a scene etc… However, the integration with ChatGPT could benefit from improvements in response time. Hopefully Apple will be able to improve upon this.
 
Friction that guarantees people will stop using it. I stopped using VI after the second or third try, months ago. Now it's just an annoying thing that gets accidentally triggered when I'm trying to use the camera.

It's just another proof of concept for future Glasses anyway. Just like every AR feature. No one is going to use it when it requires holding up your phone as a viewfinder. But when you're wearing the view finder, and future processors can run VI on every single thing you're looking at, the potential experiences make the imagination run wild.
I don’t wear glasses though. No intention of either. I disagree no one will hold up their phone to identify things IRL. People do so all the time. Even normies. I do think though it might be a good idea to remove all of these features from the Camera app and put them in a secondary first-party Scan/Scanner app. For scanning documents, QR Codes, and identification of objects, animals, landmarks, buildings and for visual web image searches. An idea worth entertaining for sure.

That would keep the Camera app cleaner, for photographic purposes for photos and videos. The Camera app needs some aggressive simplification. I’d suggest even a hidden “Pro” mode in the Settings app that’s turned off by default. Only for those who really want it, and it opens up the camera completely to all kinds of features, especially so the non-pro default Camera app can cull many pro features of its UX, focusing more on automation with a simple user setting to choose the level of post-processing that takes place. I’d opt for light post-processing like earlier iPhones for more true-to-life images.
 
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It’s funny how betrayed I feel after buying the 16 Pro. I see literally nothing new or anything better from my 14 Pro Max. Even the camera I think is better in iPhone 14. And the camera button… Worst idea and implementation ever. The Apple “Intelligence” sucks but still it’s not even turned on in my country. Apple today feels like a total scam. They sell yesterday products and it feels like they trying to sell warm water.
 
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It’s funny how betrayed I feel after buying the 16 Pro. I see literally nothing new or anything better from my 14 Pro Max. Even the camera I think is better in iPhone 14. And the camera button… Worst idea and implementation ever. The Apple “Intelligence” sucks but still it’s not even turned on in my country. Apple today feels like a total scam. They sell yesterday products and it feels like they trying to sell warm water.
That that camera buttons exists is annoying. Redundant nonsense. If they were ever to add a dedicated camera button it should have been reserved exclusively for “pro” or “ultra” iPhones, and should have focused not on offering a secondary Touch Bar touch implementation, but a physical shutter button and physical dial to compliment and legitimately augment the touch features of the display, by sticking out of the phone, like how the controls stick out on Apple Watch Ultra. A nod to the physical controls of DSLRs, combined with noticeable camera lens improvements over the standard consumer model. They could go crazy, offering magnetic lenses developed in partnership with the professional lensmakers, maybe in addition to the built-in lenses of the standard iPhone. Whatever it takes.
 
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I made sure to turn Apple Intelligence off and I'll be mad if they turn it on after the update

We should be able to delete Apple Intelligence files too. 5GB is a lot on a tiny 256GB Drive
 
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I’ll just toss it in my Apple folder with all the other outdated apps from the brand that I no longer use. Right now, the only ones I still rely on are Notes and Reminders. Even the new Siri UI and Gemini results feel outdated, and it's not even out yet in France—it’s crazy how far Apple’s services have fallen..
 
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