It’s official, Apple Intelligence is finally available in France… but not for everyone! While activating Apple’s generative artificial intelligence functions is child’s play on Mac, it does require some tweaking on iPhone and iPad. But don’t panic, we’ll explain everything to you!
Apple Intelligence arrives on Mac, iPhone and iPad with iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1
This Monday October 28, 2024, Apple has rolled out iOS 18.1 updates, macOS Sequoia 15.1 and iPadOS 18.1 which introduce the first Apple Intelligence features to iPhone, Mac and iPad.
This generative AI suite, which requires a powerful chip to activate sophisticated models locally or in the cloud, is Apple’s new workhorse.
But in the European Union, the service is currently blocked by Apple for “regulatory reasons” linked to future legislation. Rest assured, there are ways to get around these restrictions, especially on Mac.
How to easily activate Apple Intelligence on your Mac in France?
Good news, if Apple Intelligence is blocked on iPhone and iPad in the EU, this is not the case on Mac. The DMA only applies to iOS and iPadOS, nothing prevents you from taking advantage of it on your Apple computer. The only condition is to have a Mac with M1, M2, M3 or M4 chip and switch the system to English.
To do this, nothing could be simpler:
- Update your Mac to macOS 15.1. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- Switch your Mac to American English In Settings > General > Language & Region. You can keep French as a 2nd language.
- Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and put Siri in American English.
- Enable Apple Intelligence by clicking on “Join Waitlist”. You will receive a notification when the AI models are uploaded.
And there you have it, you can enjoy Apple Intelligence on your Mac even in France! Note that switching the system back to French will temporarily disable the service.
The hack to activate Apple Intelligence on iPhone and iPad in France
On iPhone and iPad, it’s a different story. Apple verifies real device location to block Apple Intelligence in EU and China. But there is a solution by pretending to be an American user.
Here’s how to do it (iPhone 15 Pro, 16, 16 Pro or iPad with M1, M2, M4, A17 Pro chip required):
- Create a second Apple account based in the United States.
- Go to Settingstap your name then “Sign out” in Media content and purchases.
- Reconnect with your American account.
- Switch your iPhone to American English In Settings > General > Language & Region.
- Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siriput Siri in American English.
- Enable Apple Intelligence by clicking on “Join Waitlist”.
You will receive a notification when the AI models (approximately 3 GB) are downloaded. This tip has some drawbacks since it will cause you to temporarily lose Apple Music or French apps when you switch back to your French account. But you can easily juggle between the two accounts.
What can you do with Apple Intelligence?
Some of the first Apple Intelligence features available with iPadOS 18.1, iOS 18.1, and macOS 15.1 include:
- Notifications summarized by AI.
- A new colorful animation for Siri.
- The ability to write to Siri on the keyboard.
- A tool to remove a person or object from a photo.
- A writing assistant to correct and rephrase texts.
- Automatic text summaries in Mail, Messages or Safari.
- Video memories generated from a sentence.
But Apple plans to go even further with the iOS 18.2 update expected in December:
- ChatGPT integration with Siri for complex questions.
- Visual Intelligence on iPhone 16 for reverse image searches.
- An advanced rewriting tool using ChatGPT or Apple’s in-house AI.
- Siri will be able to analyze the content of the screen to better understand the context.
- The Image Playground app to generate 3D avatars.
- Genmoji, AI-personalized emojis in the keyboard.
In 2025, Apple Intelligence should finally support French but will only be officially available in France from April with iOS 18.4, except on Mac where the service is not threatened. Great promises in perspective!
A bit of a geek and passionate about new technologies, I bring you the hi-tech news of the moment but not only that… I am closely interested in current affairs and I love analyzing it. So I do everything possible to make it understandable for everyone. I believe journalism must go beyond the facts, adding passion and thoughtfulness to truly engage and enlighten.
2024-10-29 05:32:00
