Apple has been actively testing iOS 18.2, and the update is set to introduce a range of new features, especially enhancements to Apple Intelligence with tools like Genmoji and Image Playground. Among the notable additions is a subtle yet impactful improvement for Apple Music and Apple TV users: the integration of natural language search within these apps.
Apple confirmed this feature in the release notes for iOS 18.2 RC, which became available to developers and beta testers on Thursday. According to the notes, Apple Music and Apple TV apps now allow users to search using natural language, enabling them to find content even if they don’t know the exact title of a song, movie, or TV show.
The natural language feature lets users search by describing what they want in everyday terms. For instance, you can type or say, “nostalgic hits from the 90s” or “songs similar to Espresso.” This search functionality also integrates seamlessly with Siri, so commands like “play songs with epic guitar solos” will now work. While Apple Music previously supported lyric-based searches for identifying songs, this new feature significantly expands the scope of discoverability. Currently, the natural language feature is only available in English, aligning with other Apple Intelligence tools.
This isn’t Apple’s first foray into natural language capabilities. With iOS 18.1, the Photos app gained the ability to search for images or videos using descriptive phrases. For example, users could search for “photos of someone wearing a blue sweater” or even “videos of airplanes,” and the app would recognize such content—something not possible in earlier versions.
The public rollout of iOS 18.2 is expected in the coming days. However, these advanced Apple Intelligence features are limited to devices with an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, or iPads equipped with the M1 chip or later, ensuring the technology operates with optimal performance.
