Apple Unveils iOS 17 with Major AI Upgrades and Performance Boosts

Apple is set to release its latest operating system update, iOS 17, today at 8:00 PM Israel time. The update will be available for all iPhone models starting from the iPhone 11 and above, alongside parallel updates for other Apple devices. This year's update focuses heavily on under-the-hood performance enhancements rather than significant visual changes. Apple claims the new system will offer up to a 30% increase in app opening speed, an 80% acceleration in AirDrop file transfers, and noticeable improvements in keyboard and camera loading times, benefiting even older device owners.

The most significant feature is the upgraded Siri AI, which leverages advanced models, including those developed by Google's Gemini. The enhanced voice assistant can understand personal context from messages, emails, and photos, identify on-screen content, and perform complex in-app actions. iOS 17 also introduces advanced AI-powered photo editing tools under the "Apple Intelligence" umbrella and new features for the Safari browser.

However, Apple has specified that these AI capabilities are restricted. They require the device language to be set to English only and are exclusively available on iPhone 15 Pro models and newer (including the upcoming iPhone 16 and 17 series). The update will be downloadable via the Settings menu (General > Software Update). Due to anticipated server load, the rollout may be gradual.

In related local news, pre-orders for the new iPhone 18 models have begun in Israel through major retail networks.