At WWDC 2025, Apple officially extended Apple Intelligenceโits powerful new AI systemโto the iPhone screen in iOS 26, enabling real-time, context-aware smart actions across apps and interfaces. This move transforms the iPhone into a true on-device assistant thatโs always aware of whatโs on your display, delivering smarter help exactly when and where you need it.
What Is Apple Intelligence on iPhone Screen?
Apple Intelligence is Appleโs system-wide AI platform introduced in 2025. When integrated directly into the iPhone screen, it enables on-screen awarenessโallowing the iPhone to analyze what you’re viewing and provide intelligent suggestions or actions based on the content.
Top 6 Features of Apple Intelligence on iPhone Screen
1. ๐ On-Screen Awareness
- Understands whatโs displayed and offers instant actions like summarizing emails, identifying people in photos, or auto-filling forms.
2. ๐ง Smart Summarize
- Get AI-powered summaries of Safari articles, messages, meeting notes, and PDFs, directly from the screen.
3. ๐ค Contextual Sharing
- When viewing a contact card, event invite, or location, the system suggests sharing, scheduling, or saving to Notes instantly.
4. ๐งพ On-Screen Visual Understanding
- Tap and hold on any image or screen content to identify items, translate text, or look up information using Vision Pro-inspired AI.
5. ๐ฌ Inline ChatGPT Integration
- Seamless ChatGPT support (via GPT-4o) is activated for deeper answers about what’s on screenโwhether it’s help with an assignment or clarifying a document.
6. ๐ Background Tasks and Smart Actions
- If youโre drafting an email and referencing another app, Apple Intelligence offers suggestions or auto-completes the reply using content from multiple apps.
How It Works
- On-Device AI Processing: Apple uses Private Cloud Compute to combine on-device speed with cloud-level intelligenceโall while preserving privacy.
- Multimodal Understanding: Apple Intelligence can interpret text, images, and app context simultaneously.
Privacy Comes First
Apple stresses that all AI actions triggered by on-screen content are handled securely. No screen data is stored, and users receive clear indicators when Apple Intelligence is active. Apple also uses Secure Enclave and encrypted sessions when querying external sources like ChatGPT.
Availability and Device Support
- Available with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Sequoia.
- Requires iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, or later models with A17 Pro chip or newer.
- Developer beta live now; public release expected in fall 2025.
Why It Matters
Bringing Apple Intelligence to the iPhone screen marks a major leap in contextual computing. Users no longer have to copy-paste, switch apps, or even ask Siriโthe intelligence is now seamlessly embedded into what youโre already doing.
This update puts Apple in direct competition with Googleโs โCircle to Searchโ and Samsungโs โGalaxy AI,โ but with Appleโs trademark focus on privacy, integration, and on-device performance.
Summary
Appleโs integration of Apple Intelligence on iPhone screen in iOS 26 represents a smarter, more intuitive mobile experience. From summarizing documents to identifying images, the iPhone now thinks alongside youโinstantly and privately.


