Apple is set to launch its new iOS 18 in September packed with updates, but will be missing a headline feature, according to reports.
An expert has claimed that the tech giant's AI platform, known as Apple Intelligence, could be delayed until at least October - one month after the iPhone 16 hits the market.
The missed date means the new smartphone will lack a revamped Siri, customized emojis and new photo-editing capabilities.
The delay is allegedly due to Apple’s concern about the stability of the AI-powered features and is providing the developers with enough time to test the software.
Apple announced its new iOS 18 operating system at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June which was boasted to be the company’s 'biggest' update yet.
Apple rolled out the beta test of the software on July 15 and will be widely released by late September, but the final intelligence updates may not be available until mid-2025, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
However, Gurman claimed that the iOS 18 system will have several delayed features including Siri, which won’t be able to use on-device data to answer question prompts.
Users allegedly also won’t be able to prioritize key notifications, obtain web page and voice note summaries, access writing improvement tools or use OpenAI’s ChatGPT integration software.
This means the iPhone 16 will be the first model to not have all new features that typically come with the iOS software and users will be required to install an update mere weeks after purchasing the phone.
The second iOS 18.1 update is expected to roll out in October, Gurman reported, but will still be missing some key features although he didn’t specify which ones.
Software updates will reportedly continue to roll out from the end of 2024 through the first half of next year, according to Gurman.
Other new iOS 18 features will include a lock and home screen customization, a revamped control center, upgrades to messages and a dedicated password app.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Apple for comment on the software delay.
The iPhone 16 is also believed to get a design upgrade that will offer a new palette of five colors in white, black, blue, green and pink - eliminating the yellow and purple options it was originally rumored to have.
Apple is also rumored to make a major adjustment to the iPhone 16 camera, marking the first redesign since 2013.
While Apple has yet to reveal any details about its upcoming smartphone, new leaks claim the device will have a two-camera setup with one devoted to Wide and Ultrawide fields of view.
The delay comes after Apple issued an urgent update to its iOS 17 system on Monday to combat 35 bugs that could enable hackers to access your iPhone by installing malicious software and using apps to access your location and other personal data.
This update applied to all iPhone Xs, Xs Max and XR phones issued in 2018 or later.
One of the security patches addressed a flaw in the iPhone’s operating system that allowed hackers to cause the software to shut down and a separate bug that permitted apps to disregard user’s privacy preferences.
There is reportedly no evidence that hackers have exploited these back-end issues yet, but experts warned that users should take steps to update their systems now.
