Alex Ruben
Explore 6 Innovative AI Tools for iPhone While Anticipating Apple-OpenAI Collaboration
1. Google Circle: Searching Alternative with Shortcuts
The absence of AI functionalities on iPhones was highlighted with the launch of the Samsung S24 featuring Galaxy AI. However, the Google app now allows you to utilize the Shortcuts feature to create a routine that takes a screenshot and launches Google Lens to analyze your display. Although it’s not exactly the same as physically circling something to search, it effectively serves the purpose.
For instance, I used my iPhone 15 Pro’s Action Button to quickly identify an individual beside Jay Shah in a photo. Activating the shortcut allowed Google Lens to correctly recognize Roger Binny, the BCCI President.
This same shortcut can be utilized for identifying various items, including products. Minsang Choi, a design manager at Google, shared this shortcut, which can be installed on your iPhone by tapping here.
2. Personal Voice – Create a Clone of Your Voice
Apple features Personal Voice, designed for individuals at risk of losing their vocal ability. This functionality allows you to clone your voice by reading a few text prompts that refine the AI system. It requires approximately 15 minutes, followed by charging your iPhone overnight for processing.
Once set up, you can use Personal Voice to interact with friends and family through Apple services, including FaceTime and phone calls.
To make your iPhone speak using your voice, simply input what you’d like it to say. You can start generating a Personal Voice by navigating to Settings > Accessibility > Personal Voice, and later selecting your unique voice in Live Speech.
3. Pet Recognition in the Photos App
The introduction of iOS 17 brought a new feature that allows your Photos app to identify pets, a capability that was previously limited to recognizing people. You can now name your pets and mark them as favorites.
This addition is highly beneficial for pet owners who often snap photos of their cherished companions. It not only simplifies locating their pictures but also aids in organizing them effectively in albums.
4. Extract Text from Images with Live Text
Have you ever found yourself needing to copy a particular text snippet from an image? It’s an issue we’ve all faced at some point. This functionality streamlines the process when you want to copy specific numbers or email addresses. Although this feature has been part of iOS for several versions, it has notably improved over time.
To activate this option, ensure it’s enabled via the Settings application > General > Language & Region > Live Text. Once activated, simply long-press the text in a photo to copy it and paste it where desired.
5. ChatGPT Voice Assistant via Action Button
The Action Button allows users to engage ChatGPT Voice with just one press, serving as an AI assistant for your iPhone. However, unlike Siri, ChatGPT Voice doesn’t have real-time data access and can’t perform tasks like fetching weather details or placing online orders.
Furthermore, it does not integrate with iOS functions, such as controlling the flashlight or setting reminders. Despite these shortcomings, the voice assistant offers considerable value. To set it up, access the Action Button submenu in Settings and select ChatGPT – Start voice conversation as your desired Action.
6. Enhanced Autocorrect in iOS 17
During WWDC 2023, Apple announced that iOS 17 would leverage a transformer language model for integrated machine learning and word suggestions while typing. This enhancement indeed arrived with iOS 17, and many users, myself included, have noticed a substantial improvement in autocorrect compared to earlier versions.
This update greatly enhances the user experience for those who heavily depend on their devices for text communication—which is a majority of us today. To make sure autocorrect is activated, open the Settings app, navigate to General > Keyboard, and toggle Auto-Correction on or off as needed.
Image Credits: Guidingtech.com