In an exciting development for tech enthusiasts, Apple’s iOS 18.1 Beta has just been released, introducing several highly anticipated features for iPhones and iPads. Among the standout additions is the ability to record and transcribe phone calls using AI technology. Available in the developer preview, this feature can be accessed by tapping the new “record” button on the call screen. Initially teased at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June, the call recording functionality is part of Apple’s broader ‘Apple Intelligence’ suite, showcasing the company’s commitment to integrating advanced AI capabilities into its devices.
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Apple’s feature for recording calls:
Apple devices have not supported call recording due to privacy concerns and legal restrictions in various countries and U.S. states. Apple’s commitment to privacy has been a significant reason for the absence of this feature.
With the release of iOS 18.1 Beta, Apple is finally adding call recording. In June, Apple unveiled the call recording feature at the Worldwide Developers Conference. This feature is valuable for journalists conducting phone interviews and for individuals who need to remember important details from calls with doctors.
Apple Intelligence is going to unlock a world of new possibilities for our users, and it’s thrilling to see our developers begin to build with it. We’re excited to see the amazing things they create.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) July 31, 2024
When call recording is enabled, a notification will inform all participants, and the Phone app will automatically record the conversation. The recording, along with a transcription and an AI-generated summary, will be available in the Notes app for easy access.
Apple Intelligence:
The iOS 18.1 developer beta introduces several new Apple Intelligence features, including an updated Siri design, email summaries in the Mail app, and natural language search in photos. However, we will have to wait a bit longer to see AI enhancements for Siri.
With the iOS 18.1 Beta, devices can now use AI to transcribe conversations during calls, improving usability and accessibility.
Currently, the iOS 18.1 Beta is available only to developers and Beta program users. Beta versions often have unfinished features and potential bugs, so regular users should wait for the official public release before upgrading.
How to Activate and Use Call Recording
To use the call recording feature on iOS 18.1, you need an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max with the developer beta of iOS 18.1 installed. These models are necessary for Apple Intelligence, which handles the transcription.
- Start a Call: Make or receive a phone call.
- Activate Recording: During the call, tap the recording icon (a waveform and a circle) in the top left corner of the screen.
- Initial Notification: The first time you press the icon, you’ll be informed that the call will be recorded and saved to the Notes app. You’ll also see a message to “Please respect the preferences of the person you’re calling.”
- Begin Recording: Press “Continue” to start recording. A countdown will begin, followed by an audio warning notifying everyone on the call that it is being recorded.
- During the Call: A notification will display the recording duration and a button to stop the recording. When you stop the recording, an audio notification will inform all participants that the call is no longer being recorded.
If the other party does not wish to be recorded, they can ask you to turn off the recording or hang up the call.
