Apple Shortcuts app on MacOS 26 Apple
At WWDC last week, Apple showcased multiple new functionalities coming to its Shortcuts app. While most of these features were part of the MacOS 26 announcement, the Shortcuts app on iPhone will receive this update, too.
The Shortcut app can use AI directly and enables developers to access Apple's on-device large language model (LLM). This means you can use AI-based Shortcut features without requiring an active internet connection.
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Apple's Shortcut app is one of the most underrated system apps across the industry. It's a built-in automation tool that can help make your Apple device truly your own by creating custom commands and actions. Not many users are aware of its capabilities because it can be overwhelming to use. But Apple is now supercharging it with AI, and that can make the Sortcuts app easier to use for more people.
Apple Intelligence within Shortcuts could be a game-changer for power users
Apple
The updated Shortcuts app offers better AI integration across multiple apps and dedicated actions for features like Writing Tools and Image Playground. Apple will let you directly tap into AI, either on-device or with Private Cloud Compute, to generate responses within the Shortcuts app.
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For example, if you are a student, you can compare an audio recording or transcription of your class lecture with your notes to see if you missed any key points. It reminds me of when I used to carry my Microsoft Surface Pro 5 to lectures and record my French lessons while taking notes and play them later to better understand the new language. All of this now works simultaneously and is just a few taps away.
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