I have tried Apple Intelligence in Spanish. I am disappointed and excited in equal parts

The star function of iOS for 2025, Apple Intelligence, can already be tested In the beta for iOS developers 18.4. It is enough to install this latest version to activate the functions, and I have not wanted to miss the opportunity to try this AI thoroughly in the iPhone 16 Pro. Due to the EU regulatory framework, Apple has taken something longer to bring these functions to Spain, which were already present in the US.

Despite this circumstance, the rest of the rivals have been implementing artificial intelligence functions in a deep way for more than a year. Apple is late, yes. The question now is whether or not it is worth waiting.

In this analysis we consider that Apple Intelligence is taking its first steps and that what we have tried is a beta. Despite this, we have these recent years testing beta versions of other services (Gemini, Chatgpt), and we are clearly required.

“Hey, here are Ia”

The first point that is worth highlighting is one that I have been criticizing for quite some time in competition alternatives (except in Samsung, which makes it great). The AI ​​is of no use if the average user does not know where and how can he use it. Here Apple does it quite well since, from minute one, it sends us notifications indicating that Apple Intelligence is now available.

I have no doubt that, like Samsung, when we start our next iPhone the configuration assistant will explain all this process that is now explained with notifications. Being a beta, some of these explanatory banners are in English. A minor detail, since everything is still working in Spanish.

Given the notices and read everything, it’s time to start trying Apple Intelligence. The functions that arrive in Spain are practically all, with the exception of MACs to Mac and the transcription of calls.

Testing Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence is a set of artificial intelligence functions that arrive natively to the iPhone. Its main difference with respect to direct rivals is that the majority of the defendant is carried out on the telephone itself, the main reason why the model cannot be executed with less than 8 GB of RAM (and thanks to which the iPhone 16E It has this capacity).

Among its functions we find new writing tools, image generation, integrated by chatgpt in Siri, Genmojis, and improvements in native apps such as photos or mail.

Writing tools

Apple stands out on its website The functions he considers key to Apple Intelligence. The first one has to do with intelligent writing tools. These allow us to rewrite texts, make summaries, improve the grammar and tone of what we have written, etc. Integration is great, since these tools work in any app. Simply select the text to appear.

Here we will have two paths: describe the precise change we want to do through a personalized prompt, or let Apple do it automatically by predefined adjustments quite concrete.

• Review
• Rewrite
• Informal style
• Professional style
• Concise style
• Summary
• Key points
• List
• Board

The functioning of these writing functions is quite good. I have reached the test by throwing an entire review to analyze key points and, although it is not perfect, it does it more than remarkable.

These types of tools are especially useful in professional environments where we want to improve that email that we are going to send.

Improvements in Siri

Siri is one of the great changes in Apple Intelligence, with a much more pleasant interface, Integration with chatgpt And the promise that you can read everything we have on the screen to analyze its context and provide us with information. This last function, the most spectacular, is not yet available (not even in the US).

In my case, I had to force from the “prefer voice responses” settings since, in automatic mode, I never spoke to me (only the written answer appeared). The operation of this new Siri, at least in its beta phase, It is disappointing. It highlights, in principle, to better understand natural language, but it is far from the memory we have seen in IAS as GPT.

For example, I have asked you to add an event from 17 to 18h. Subsequently, I have indicated that I remind me what is the last event he added. His answer has been to add to reminders “the last event you have created today.” Indicating what event it was, I have asked him to modify the time. His answer has been not found.

On other occasions, he has not even answered my questions or has been frozen. The potential is there but, at least for now, it is a tool far away from what is expected.

Regarding the integration with chatgpt, it works as an extension of Siri. We can log in or not and, in case you detect that GPT can attend to our request, it will invite us to use it. This is the key here, will only use GPT if we give permission.

If we give GPT permission, the requests will be made through the OpenAI model, but with Siri’s voice. In other words, we will have the GPT responses read by Siri. This integration seems quite good to me, since it will allow mixing the best of Siri and its possibilities at the system level (putting alarms, reminders, adding events, sending emails, etc.) with the GPT potential.

Native apps

Photos. Apple wanted to add some functions in its native apps, starting with photos. One of the star functions is Clean Up, his rival for Google’s magic draft. And I can advance that it is not even approaching.

First, automatic subject detection has only worked once. The rest, I had to manually select what I wanted to erase. As for the result, if we compare it with Google’s magical draft photos (which you can access for free from your iPhone), There is no comparison point. Google has been refining this function for years and works practically perfect (although you need to make a cloud back and run online, everything is said). Apple’s … is taking his first steps.

It is a useful function in cases where we put it very easy (very separate subjects, simple background elements, etc.). But if the generative AI has to fill the hole in a complex way, much better to use Google. In fact, I don’t know why, in some scenes (like the one I show above), Clean Up has broken the HDR of photography.

Another integration is that supposedly adds natural compression of text in photos and, at least in my experience, It doesn’t work either. Apple indicates that we can make descriptions to look for photographs in the photo library. I have indicated, since I have saved a trip to Amsterdam, which shows me photos “sitting in Amsterdam”. He has shown me a quite inaccurate potpourri. By the way, Siri (for the moment) is not able to find images of our gallery.

Mail. Mail has also been refined by AI, and now shows the priority messages in the main tray, reserving sections of transactions, novelties and promotions for the rest of sections. Literally the “transactions” section indicates that “all messages related to my orders, including shipping and delivery notices, are grouped by sender.”

It is something that would be great, but that does not happen, since for some reason in my “principal” section there are dozens of messages without grouping from Amazon. Yes, the section of summarizing emails has worked well, but this app needs work, a lot of work.

Grades. The notes app is now capable of transcribing text. It works relatively well, although it commits some important spelling fouls that would be avoided if the model were better tuned.

This app can also show us the text transcripts of the calls we record. At the moment, it has not been possible to do it.

Image playground. Finally, pointing out that Image Playground is Apple’s new app to generate images through AI. It reminded me of a free third -party app than to a native and quality tool. It is quite limited and, although it allows to combine photographs to later generate new through a prompt, it is quite far from what Android phones achieve with current generators.

Regarding the creation of Genmojis. Yes, they cool, but something tells me that The same will happen with the memojis. We will use them the first week to do fun tests, then they are likely to fall into oblivion.

Apple is late, but it doesn’t come better

Apple has never been the first to arrive. But if something has shown over the years, sometimes, arriving before does not mean getting better. The company has as a philosophy to bring mature technologies to the market, although this entails launching solutions with respect to competition.

With Apple Intelligence the sensation is not that. The feeling is the one that has been late, and they have arrived with what they have been able to. That student who arrives late to class with the Workbook half fill and want to complete it in the class itself. If the class comes without the homework, it will shine. If everyone has done their duties well, you will have a problem.

The new stage is exciting: the iPhone are taking their first steps with AI and some of the functions are really useful. The problem is to get so green. When I tried chatgpt in beta, I was absolutely fascinated. It was software with the potential to change the world. That a software is not in its final version does not translate that it cannot surprise. But Apple Intelligence does not.

In his presentation, we were promised to understand natural language never seen, native integration with all apps and, ultimately, an AI with which we would have a completely natural interaction. At the moment, everything is promises pending compliance.

Image | Xataka

In Xataka | How to try Apple Intelligence in Spain down the beta for iOS 18.4 developers