iOS 18.2 Released with ChatGPT Siri, Image Playground, More AI, Bug Fixes, & Security Updates

Apple has released iOS 18.2 for all iPhone users, and iPadOS 18.2 for all iPad users. The new software updates focus primarily on bringing new Apple Intelligence AI features to compatible devices, including support for ChatGPT integration with Siri, Image Playground image generation, along with smaller new AI features throughout various apps and the operating system.

Separate from AI, there are also refinements to the Photos app, the ability to share items in Find My, a bug fix for Photos not appearing in the All Photos view right away, a new Mail category feature that will undoubtedly be polarizing, and various other bug fixes and security enhancements.

Aside from iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, there are also releases for older iPhone and iPad versioned as iOS 17.7.3 and iPadOS 17.7.3, plus software updates for Mac including MacOS Sequoia 15.2 with AI features, macOS Sonoma 14.7.2 with security fixes, macOS Ventura 13.7.2 with security fixes, watchOS 11.2 for Apple Watch, and tvOS 18.2 for Apple TV.

How to Download & Install iOS 18.2 Update

Installing the latest software updates to iPhone or iPad is easy, but make sure you first backup your device to iCloud and/or a computer before proceeding.

1. Open the “Settings” app on the iPhone or iPad
2. Go to “General”, and then choose “Software Update”
3. Select to “Update Now” to download and install iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, iOS 17.7.3, or ipadOS 17.7.3

Updating your device will require a restart to complete.

While many users may be excited about trying out the various Apple Intelligence features that expand beyond writing tools, webpage summaries, and things like business plan creation, it’s important to remember that Apple Intelligence has very strict system requirements. For iPhone you must have iPhone 15 Pro or better, for iPad you must have an A17 Pro or M1 chip or better, and for Mac you must have an M1 chip or better. Earlier devics do not support Apple Intelligence at all, though users can install the ChatGPT app on basically any model iPhone or iPad and gain many AI features that way.

iPhone and iPad users can also update their devices by using a computer if they prefer, through Finder on Mac, or iTunes on PC.

iOS 18.2 IPSW Firmware Files

Advanced users can use IPSW firmware files for manually updating as well if they’d like. The IPSW links below link directly to firmware files of iOS 18.2 on Apple CDN servers:

• Updating…

iOS 18.2 Release Notes

Release notes accompanying the software update are as follows:

This update introduces new features powered by Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that unlocks powerful new ways to communicate, work, and express yourself, all while protecting your data with an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI. New features include Image Playground which lets you create delightful, fun images, Genmoji to create original emoji to share with family and friends, ChatGPT support integrated right into Siri and Writing Tools, and more. This release also includes Visual intelligence with Camera Control, enhancements to Mail, Photos, Safari, and other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your iPhone.

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
https://support.apple.com/100100

Apple Intelligence (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)

Image Playground
– A new app that lets you use concepts, descriptions, and people from your photo library to create fun, playful images in multiple styles
– Swipe through previews and choose from as you add concepts to your playground
– Choose from animation and illustration styles when creating your image
– Create images in Messages and Freeform, as well as third party apps
– Images are synced in your Image Playground library across all your devices with iCloud

Genmoji
– Genmoji allows you to create a custom emoji right from the keyboard
– Genmoji are synced in your sticker drawer across all your devices with iCloud

ChatGPT support
– ChatGPT from OpenAI can be accessed right from Siri or Writing Tools
– Compose in Writing Tools allows you to create something from scratch with ChatGPT
– Siri can tap into ChatGPT when relevant to provide you an answer
– A ChatGPT account is not required and your requests will be anonymous and won’t be used to train OpenAI’s models
– Sign in with ChatGPT to access your account benefits, and requests will be covered by OpenAI’s data policies

– Image Wand turns sketches and handwritten or typed notes into images in Notes
– Describe your change in Writing Tools allows you to suggest how you’d like something rewritten, for example as a poem
– Camera Control (iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max)
– Visual Intelligence with Camera Control helps you instantly learn about places or interact with information simply by pointing your iPhone at the object, with the option to tap into Google Search or ChatGPT
– Camera Control two-stage shutter lets you lock focus and exposure in Camera when light pressing the Camera Control

Mail
– Mail Categorization sorts your messages to help you prioritize the most important messages
– Digest view groups all of the messages from one sender into a single bundle for easy browsing

Photos
– Video viewing improvements, including the ability to scrub frame-by-frame and a setting to turn off auto-looping video playback
– Improvements when navigating Collections views, including the ability to swipe right to go back to the previous view
– Recently Viewed and Recently Shared album history can be cleared
– Favorites album appears in the Utilities collection in addition to Pinned Collections

Safari
– New background images to customize your Safari Start Page
– Import and Export enables you to export your browsing data from Safari and import browsing data from another app into Safari
– HTTPS Priority upgrades URLs to HTTPS whenever possible
– File Download Live Activity shows the progress of a file download in the Dynamic Island and on your home screen

This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
– Voice Memos supports layered recording, letting you add vocals over an existing song idea without the need for headphones — then import your two-track projects directly into Logic Pro (iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max)
– Share Item Location in Find My helps you locate and recover misplaced items by easily and securely sharing the location of an AirTag or Find My network accessory with trusted third parties, such as airlines
– Natural language search in Apple Music and Apple TV app lets you describe what you’re looking for using any combination of categories like genres, moods, actors, decades, and more
– Favorite Categories in Podcasts allows you to choose your favorite categories and get relevant show recommendations that you can easily access in your Library
– Personalized Search page in Podcasts highlights the most relevant categories and editorially curated collections tailored to you
– Sudoku for News+ Puzzles provided in three difficulty levels and available for News+ subscribers
– Support for the Hearing Test feature on AirPods Pro 2 in Cyprus, Czechia, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom
– Support for the Hearing Aid feature on AirPods Pro 2 in United Arab Emirates
– Pre-market price quotes in Stocks lets you track NASDAQ and NYSE tickers prior to market open
– Fixes an issue where recently captured photos do not appear immediately in the All Photos grid
– Fixes an issue where Night mode photos in Camera could appear degraded when capturing long exposures (iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max)

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100

Aside from iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, there are a bevy of other software updates available for other Apple devices, so don’t forget to update your Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV too.