Apple Intelligence not working on iPhone 17 for some users

As if the Apple Intelligence rollout wasn’t under enough scrutiny already, now Apple’s suite of AI features and tools is refusing to work for some iPhone 17 users completely. Multiple people who have got their hands on the new phones report that, while the AI features are installed on their devices, they simply do not work.This doesn’t seem like a widespread problem for now, but it isn’t a completely isolated incident either. What seems to be happening is that, though Apple Intelligence is installed, the AI features don’t show up.

Instead, the phone tells users that they need to download Apple Intelligence to proceed. But Apple Intelligence is present in the phone’s storage, or shows up as if it’s being downloaded, and the download never finishes.

This is apparently affecting the base model iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the new iPhone Air. Apple might be aware of the issue, as one user has reported that customer support told them to wait for an update that would fix this.

This is, of course, a bit embarrassing. Though, thankfully, it doesn’t seem to be a common problem. It is sad to see that the company is still struggling to even roll out what little features Apple Intelligence does have, let alone the cool tools it promised its customer base back in 2024.

Apple Intelligence remains incomplete. | Image credit — Apple

This is also not the only problem that people are experiencing on their new iPhone models. Far from it, in fact. The iPhone 17 has cellular issues, a problem that is apparently extremely common as of now, and consumers can only hope that a software update fixes it.

Furthermore, the iPhone 17 Pro models are very susceptible to damage from scrapes or accidental falls, as their new aluminum chassis is much more malleable than titanium. Apple has dismissed these problems, but I think that the iPhone 17’s issues can’t be ignored anymore.

Even though this Apple Intelligence problem is only bothering a small number of users, it further shows how the company’s quality control for its software upgrades has gone down the drain in recent years.

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