Apple Intelligence Finally Works, But It’s Not the Powerful AI We Hoped For
Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 17 Pro Max with A19 Pro 3nm chip performs much better, but it’s still not the mind-blowing experience we expected. Features like Smart Reply and text summarization actually work, but sometimes they still give odd responses.
AI performance in iOS 26 is clearly faster than before, but it’s still limited primarily to English. Thai language support will have to wait much longer. Complex AI task features still feel like they’re in beta mode.
I think Apple still needs to develop their AI a lot more to compete with ChatGPT or Gemini. But at least we’re starting to see a good direction.
What’s It Really Like Using Apple Intelligence
After using Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 17 Pro Max with A19 Pro chip for a week, I found that my initial expectations were very high, but there’s still a gap between what Apple advertises and reality.
Siri does answer questions better than before, but when you ask something slightly complex, it still gets confused. Smart Reply helps respond to messages well, but sometimes it suggests weird responses. Text summarization works well for emails or articles.
I think the big problem is it still mainly supports English. We Thai users can’t use it to its full potential. But at least we can see where Apple is heading. Let’s wait and see next year’s developments.
Where Apple Intelligence Fits in Apple’s Ecosystem
Apple Intelligence isn’t just a standalone feature, but the heart of the entire ecosystem. From iOS 26 that comes with iPhone 17 Pro Max to macOS and iPadOS, it works seamlessly across devices.
The A19 Pro chip using 3nm was designed specifically for AI. The new Neural Engine processes machine learning faster, and 12GB RAM is enough to run large AI models on-device.
What’s interesting is Apple isn’t competing directly with ChatGPT or Google Bard, but focuses on building AI that understands the context of our lives within the Apple ecosystem. I think this direction is correct because Apple already does cross-device integration best.
Comparison: Before and After Apple Intelligence
| Factor | iOS Before Apple Intelligence | iOS 26 + Apple Intelligence |
|---|---|---|
| Siri responses | Only simple commands | Understands context, responds in sentences |
| Text writing | Regular keyboard only | AI suggests sentences, fixes grammar |
| Photo management | Search by basic keywords | Search by image content |
| Memory management | 4-8GB RAM was enough | Need 12GB to run AI models |
| Battery life | Lasted all day | May decrease due to AI processing |
The clear difference is iOS 26 works more predictively, not just waiting for commands like before. AI learns our behavior and suggests things we should do before we think of them.
I think this change is as big as when iPhone launched the App Store because it changes how we use phones entirely.
Features That Actually Work in Daily Life
Smart Reply in Messages now writes messages for us really well. It reads context and suggests appropriate responses. Instead of typing “Thank you,” we just tap to select.
Photo search is much smarter. Just type “orange cat” or “restaurant sign” and it finds them immediately. No need to waste time scrolling through photo files.
The new Focus Mode learns what we need when. Monday morning automatically opens work mode, Friday evening switches to relaxation mode.
Mail helps organize emails neatly. Important ones go to the top, spam gets filtered out. I think these features make iPhone 17 Pro Max with iOS 26 change from a tool to a real assistant.
Apple Intelligence vs. Competitors
| Factor | Apple Intelligence | Google Assistant | Alexa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offline functionality | Works on-device | Needs internet | Needs internet |
| Privacy | Private Cloud Compute | Stores data at Google | Stores data at Amazon |
| Context understanding | Works across apps | Limited to Google | Limited to Alexa |
| Thai language | Basic support | Good support | Limited support |
Apple Intelligence’s strength is working on-device without sending data out. Private Cloud Compute still protects privacy when server processing is needed.
Google Assistant is still ahead in terms of intelligence and Thai language, but our data gets stored at Google.
I think Apple Intelligence has a good start but still needs to catch up with competitors in features and local languages.
Pros
- +Performance from A19 Pro 3nm chip responds very fast
- +6.9-inch OLED display is comfortable to view, 120Hz truly smooth
- +Better privacy than competitors, AI works on-device
- +Ceramic Shield 2 is stronger than previous generation
Cons
- −233g weight is heavier than before, hands get tired holding it long
- −AI still thinks slower than Google Assistant for complex tasks
- −Thai language not good enough, mainly needs to use English
- −Very high price, budget needs to reach tens of thousands
After 2 weeks of use, battery lasts all day even with heavy AI usage. 48MP camera is sharp as before, but AI photo enhancement features are better.
I think the device is good but AI is still too young. Need to wait for the next iOS update.
Hidden Costs Beyond Device Price
What hurts more than the device price is Storage - maximum 2TB. If using AI seriously, need to choose large model because AI cache and model files consume lots of space. The 256GB starting option may not be enough.
iCloud can’t be avoided either. AI backup and sync require buying bigger plans. When using Multi-modal AI, image and audio data all moves to cloud storage.
12GB RAM sounds okay, but if Apple opens subscription model for AI features like rumors suggest, might need to pay monthly in the future. I think whether it’s worth the price needs careful consideration. Budget needs to be prepared longer than usual.
Who Should Invest, Who Should Wait
If you’re already using iPhone 15 Pro, I recommend waiting for gen 2-3 because 12GB RAM and A19 Pro don’t stand out enough to rush upgrading. For those still holding old phones before iPhone 14, go for it.
People doing creative work or heavy AI functions should buy now. 2TB storage is worth it for those needing to store lots of Multi-modal data. The 233g weight might be too heavy for long use.
I think if budget is limited, try looking at iPhone 16 Pro Max first because Apple Intelligence isn’t fully available yet. Wait to see the actual subscription model before deciding - it’ll be safer.
Apple Intelligence: A Promising Beginning
Apple Intelligence in iPhone 17 Pro Max, to be honest, is an interesting start but not yet the game changer many expected. The A19 Pro 3nm chip provides enough performance for AI workload but we still don’t see killer features that require upgrading right now.
What to watch for is iOS 26.4 coming with new AI functions updates. 12GB RAM is ready for multi-modal processing. I think next year Apple will release much stronger AI features.
For those using old iPhones, no need to rush upgrading. Wait to see subscription model and complete features first - it’ll be more worth it. Apple Intelligence is still in experimental phase rather than being the main reason to buy.