iOS 18.3: Discover Apple's Visual Intelligence Revolution

Did you know that the latest iOS 18.3 update has raised all sorts of alarms among iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro/Maxusers? . In this new entry of my tech log, I’ll tell you how the brand-new Apple Intelligence and its surprising Visual Intelligence can revolutionize the way you interact with your device… or consume up to 7 GB of storage before you even realize it. Don’t worry, though—I’ll show you how to turn off this feature if you don’t need it, and you’ll also learn about what the community and MundoVirtual have to say about this change.

Before we dive into the details, here’s a quick overview in table form so you can get the big picture:

Feature	Available On	Storage Required	Advantages	Disadvantages
*Apple Intelligence*	iPhone 16 (Enabled by default)	7 GB	Deep AI integration, writing tools, advanced photo editing, smart notification summaries	May be unnecessary if unused, takes up a lot of space
Visual Intelligence	iPhone 16	Included in Apple Intelligence	Identifies objects, plants, animals, and events just by taking a photo	Not available on other models (iPhone 15 Pro/Maxdoesn’t support it)
Manual Mode (Prior to iOS 18.3)	iPhone 16 (previous version)	N/A	You had to enable it yourself	No longer available (now it’s enabled by default)
Camera Control Button	iPhone 16	N/A	Enables *Visual Intelligence*	iPhone 15 Pro/Max does not have this button

The New Face of iOS 18.3: Apple Intelligence in Control

When you discovered that Apple had introduced Apple Intelligence in your iPhone 16 to automate processes and offer us a different user experience, you might not have imagined the huge impact it would have on your daily life. Now enabled by default in iOS 18.3, this function integrates:

Advanced writing tools: Struggling to write formal emails or messages? Apple’s AI can do it for you, even suggesting corrections and style improvements.
Photo and video editing: Automatic adjustments to color, contrast, and brightness thanks to Visual Intelligence.
Smart notification summaries: Groups and prioritizes alerts according to your usage and preferences.
Option to type to Siri: If you don’t want to use voice, you can “talk” to Siri by typing your questions directly.

This ecosystem provides very deep integration with your iPhone, but it also comes at a cost in terms of storage and, in some cases, performance.

Visual Intelligence: The Feature That Not Everyone Got

iOS 18.3 also heralds the arrival of Visual Intelligence. With it, all it takes is pointing your iPhone 16’s camera at an object, plant, animal, or situation to get instant information. When did you learn that you could identify practically anything around you with just one photo? What’s most impressive is that, thanks to the combination of algorithms and the new Camera Control Button, the identification is almost instantaneous.

However, Visual Intelligence is exclusive to the iPhone 16 family. Users of iPhone 15 Pro/Max are left out, as those models lack the specific components for this feature, especially the Camera Control Button.

Configuration Changes in iOS 18.3

Why has there been so much buzz about this update?.Previously, if you wanted to try Apple Intelligence, you had to enable it manually. With iOS 18.3, it’s on by default, which is great if you love testing out every innovation, but not so great if you prefer a more traditional iPhone experience and are concerned about storage.

Enabled by default: You no longer have to configure anything to start enjoying AI and its built-in functions.
7 GB of space: That’s how much storage is allocated to these new capabilities. If you’re not interested, it could be space you’re losing.
Device performance: Some users worry that having AI turned on may consume more of the system’s resources.

How to Disable Apple Intelligence

Maybe you don’t need these features or you simply want to free up that valuable space on your iPhone. To turn off Apple Intelligence, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and select Apple Intelligence & Siri.
Turn off Apple Intelligence.
Confirm by selecting “Disable Apple Intelligence” when prompted.

Doing this will remove all the advanced writing tools, photo editing, notification summaries, and the option to type to Siri. Did you know this immediately lets you regain those 7 GB of storage?

User Opinions and the MundoVirtual Perspective

I’ve been scanning forums, social networks, and various online spaces (including my beloved MundoVirtual) to gauge community reactions. Here’s what I’ve found:

AI Enthusiasts: Some people love everything related to artificial intelligence and praise Visual Intelligence as the future. They say 7 GB is a small price to pay for such a powerful photographic assistant.
Users with Limited Storage: Many complain that their iPhone doesn’t have enough capacity, especially if they use smaller storage plans. For them, 7 GB is huge.
Professional Photographers: They give a thumbs-up to the intelligent editing and object identification but still trust third-party apps for pro-level results.
MundoVirtual’s Take: At MundoVirtual, we applaud Apple for its commitment to AI and deep integration. However, we believe the company could have offered a modular download option, letting users decide whether they want these features before taking up so much space.

My Personal Recommendation

As someone who writes about technology and lives with it every day, I personally love seeing Apple push the envelope with Apple Intelligence and Visual Intelligence. Still, when you discovered the hefty resource requirements, you might prefer having the freedom to decide whether to sacrifice 7 GB on your device.

Do you frequently use your camera to identify objects or plants? .Then Visual Intelligence may be your best friend.
Do you need every gig of your storage?. Consider disabling these features if you won’t use them.
Are you a fan of advanced photo editing and writing assistance? .You’ll probably love how the AI is integrated.

Don’t Miss Out—Join the Conversation!

I recommend subscribing to my social networks and to this page so you won’t miss any detail about everything that’s coming in your own MundoVirtual. Remember, tech developments are changing the game at breakneck speed, and staying informed can make all the difference between getting the most from your iPhone or only scratching the surface.

Do you think it’s worth giving up 7 GB of your device for the new Apple Intelligence and Visual Intelligence, or would you rather keep full control and turn it off? .Share your opinion and join the conversation!.