iOS 18 could finally help iPhones catch up to Pixel's Recorder app

On multiple occasions, Apple has indirectly confirmed that iOS 18 will be an AI-centric release. While the operating system’s official preview won’t be revealed until next month, rumors have given us an idea of what to expect. The latest report suggests that iOS 18 will bake AI into the Apple Notes and Voice Memos apps, allowing iPhone users to transcribe and summarize their audio recordings automatically.

AppleInsider has learned that iOS 18 could finally bring automatic audio transcription and summarization to the iPhone. If this feature makes it to the public release, users will be able to read a transcript of the audio they’re recording in real time. The AI-powered addition — just like Google’s Recorder app on the Pixel 8 Pro — should also be able to generate a summary that highlights the recording’s key points.

This feature could spare college students the need to rely on third-party solutions for lecture recording and note-taking. While the transcription could naturally have some errors, the original audio recording will remain accessible as a reference. The execution could be similar to iMessage’s existing audio message feature, which allows users to listen to a received recording or read its auto-generated transcription.

iOS 18’s potential AI upgrades in Apple Notes and Voice Memos will likely be available on iPadOS 18 and macOS 15 as well. Considering these features will probably utilize the on-device Neural Engine, Apple could restrict their availability to new iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Either way, WWDC24 kicks off in just four weeks, and we will soon receive conclusive answers.