iOS 18.3: How to use new Visual Intelligence features on iPhone 16

Apple's imminent iOS 18.3 software update for iPhone 16 integrates new Visual Intelligence features to the Camera Control button. The company has featured new capabilities, offering a smooth usage experience.

Gadinsider has compiled all the new features and how to use them.

New Visual Intelligence features

In iOS 18.3, Apple integrated new capabilities to Visual Intelligence, including an option to create a calendar event when viewing a poster or flyer, along with the ability to easily identify plants, animals, and insects.

It is important to note that ‌Visual Intelligence‌ is an Apple Intelligence feature, which is exclusively available to the ‌iPhone 16‌ models. If you have an older model, you won't have a Camera Control button below the Side button on the right-hand side of your device.

Activating Visual Intelligence

To activate Visual Intelligence, press and hold the Camera Control button for a few seconds. A regular press simply opens the camera with Camera Control, so the press-and-hold gesture is necessary. Ensure the Camera app isn't already active, as Visual Intelligence won't work if the camera is already in use.

The Visual Intelligence interface includes a camera view, a capture button, and "Ask" and "Search" options. The "Ask" button interacts with ChatGPT, while "Search" sends the captured image to Google Search.

Create a Calendar event from a poster

Using ‌Visual Intelligence‌ to add an event to the Calendar was a promised function that Apple showed off when introducing Camera Control, and it will be usable in iOS 18.3.

To add an event, view a document like a poster with a date, and then tap on the date when the feature pops up in the ‌Visual Intelligence‌ interface.

Identify pets, animals, and insects

The Photos app is already able to give insight into plants, animals, and insects when opting to view additional information in the editing interface, but Camera Control will now show these details in real time.