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The rollout of Apple’s new artificial intelligence (AI) features will be delayed, missing the initial launch of the iPhone and iPad’s upcoming software updates, Bloomberg reported on July 28.

The company plans to launch Apple Intelligence to customers as part of software updates coming by October, Bloomberg reported, citing “people with knowledge of the matter.” According to the report, the AI features are now expected to launch a few weeks after the initial September release of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, giving the team time to fix bugs.

The sources, however, didn’t specify the exact timing of the AI features’ rollout.

Apple is also deviating from its usual practice by releasing previews of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 betas to developers this week, even before the launch of the initial version, per the report. 

By providing early access to developers, the company hopes to identify and address any issues with the new AI features before they’re released to the public. This decision was partly motivated by concerns over the stability of Apple Intelligence, prompting the company to separate its launch from the initial iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 release.

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Apple initially unveiled the new AI features and operating systems last month, but due to the change, the AI features will not be available to the general public until a later update to the operating system.

The company’s staggered rollout of its new AI features means some may not be available on initial iPhone 16 models and may require a later software update, the report said. While some features, including notification prioritization and text summarization, will be available with iOS 18.1, others, such as advanced Siri capabilities, will be introduced in subsequent updates throughout 2024 and 2025.

The latest development comes as Apple’s new AI features also face regulatory hurdles in Europe, with the company citing the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). At the time, the iPhone maker said it would delay the release of Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and SharePlay Screen Sharing in Europe, claiming that the DMA’s interoperability rules, which require tech products to work together, could create security vulnerabilities.

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