iOS 18 is expected to be unveiled at WWDC 2024 on June 10, a few months before Apple releases its next major software update for eligible iPhone models. While the company has yet to reveal any details regarding iOS 18, an analysis of the backend code on Apple’s servers has revealed that the company is working on two new AI features that could come with the upcoming update. are These include an AI-powered ‘browsing assistant’ for Safari that could bring Apple’s browser on par with competing applications.

In a post on X, (ex-Twitter) developer Nicolás Álvarez (@nicolas09F9) says he discovered references to two features on Apple’s backend code. The first—Safari Browsing Assistant—is similar to AI assistants that are capable of analyzing and summarizing web pages, such as Copilot on Microsoft Edge, or Arc Browser.

Another feature the developer is looking at is called Encrypted Visual Search, which is a feature already offered by Spotlight, as mentioned by the developer. It’s currently unclear whether iOS 18 will include a more advanced (and safer) version of the Visual Lookup feature that can automatically identify plants, pet breeds, and landmarks in Camera Roll images.

Alvarez Explains That both features will use an Oblivious HTTP Gateway (a privacy protocol for forwarding encrypted HTTP messages) will prevent the company from identifying multiple requests coming from the same IP address. The developer previously speculated that Apple would use its iCloud Private Relay feature, which requires a monthly subscription to iCloud+ or Apple One.

Apple has yet to reveal details of the intended AI features expected to arrive in its upcoming operating system update for eligible iPhone models. The company is expected to unveil iOS 18 along with macOS 15 and other operating system updates for various Apple products at WWDC 2024, which starts on June 10, and we’ll talk about these AIs during the WWDC keynote. Expect to learn more about the features. months.