Apple Inches Closer to Launching iOS 18.2: What iPhone 16 Users Can Expect

The iOS 18.2 update will likely be rolled out soon as the latest Release Candidate is now available to eligible users. The RC builds are a precursor to the rollout of stable iOS builds and are accessible only by testers. They also reveal all the features the stable iOS versions will come with. While Apple had previously confirmed that functionalities such as ChatGPT integration would arrive with the second major iOS 18 update, the RC build released earlier this week has revealed everything iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro users can expect with iOS 18.2.

iOS 18.2 release time in India

While Apple had committed to a December timeline for the iOS 18.2 release, the exact date is unclear. However, the launch could take place later today, i.e., December 10 in India, going by the recent history of iOS releases in December. At the same time, Apple may also delay the rollout should it run into some last-minute glitches in the update.

iOS 18.2 features

While the iOS 18.1 update introduced Apple Intelligence and redesigned Siri, the upcoming iOS 18.2 update will expand Apple's AI features for the iPhone. The highlighted features as part of iOS 18.2 are:

• Genmoji: iPhone users will be able to create emojis using a photo or just superimpose two emojis together to generate a new one with this feature.
• ChatGPT Integration: ChatGPT will be available natively on the iPhone, integrated deeply into Siri and Writing Tools to allow users to ask questions and write better.
• Image Playground: This tool will allow users to create original images using AI, much like OpenAI's Dall-E.
• Visual Intelligence: iPhone 16 and 16 Pro users can use Camera Control to point the camera at anything to look it up using AI.
• Image Wand: iPad users will be able to generate images from drawings using Apple Pencil.
• More Writing Tools: Apple will expand Writing Tools functionalities to include the 'Describe your change' option.

iOS 18.2 Eligibility

iOS 18.2 will be available on all iOS 18-compatible iPhone devices -- iPhone XR and newer models. However, Apple Intelligence and AI features will work only on iPhone 15 Pro and higher models, while Visual Intelligence will be exclusive to iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models.