Apple’s next wave of Apple Intelligence upgrades sounds like a major leap forward, but not everyone will get to use them. A number of the most advanced features will only work on Apple’s newest and most powerful iPhones, iPads and Macs.
The headline additions include a more capable Siri AI, improved Visual Intelligence for camera-based tasks, and a broader set of on-device AI tools. However, Apple has confirmed that some of these features will be restricted to specific hardware tiers. They will not roll out across all Apple Intelligence-compatible devices.
Speaking during the WWDC keynote, Apple’s Craig Federighi explained that the most demanding features will rely on Apple’s “most powerful on-device model”. These upgrades include more expressive voice output and advanced dictation capabilities.
But there’s a catch: only certain devices will support them. That includes the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro on the smartphone side. In addition, it includes iPads with M4 chips (and at least 12GB of memory), and Macs running M3 chips or later with similar memory requirements.
What Apple hasn’t clarified yet is exactly which features are locked behind these requirements. The company is grouping them under the umbrella of its most capable on-device AI systems. However, it hasn’t drawn a clear line between what older devices can and can’t run.
On paper, Apple’s published compatibility list still matches previous Apple Intelligence-supported devices. This makes the situation a bit confusing for users trying to figure out what actually changes with this update.
There are also some usage limits involved. Apple says certain AI features including image generation will have daily caps because they depend on heavier server-side processing. Additionally, it notes that expanded usage may be available through some iCloud+ subscription tiers. However, Apple hasn’t detailed which plans qualify.
The result is a familiar Apple Intelligence pattern: big promises at the top level, but a more fragmented experience depending on which device you own. For users with the latest hardware, this update will feel like a meaningful step up. On the other hand, for everyone else, it may look more like a preview of what’s coming next.
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