This Handy Apple Intelligence Feature Saves Me Over $200 A Year

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Apple Intelligence tin transcribe your sound memos for free. 
• The transcriptions are easy to entree and reasonably accurate.
• The Otter.ai replacement is $17 per month. 
  

When you perceive of AI features connected smartphones, you often deliberation of nan flashiest, agentic AI features that could transportation retired tasks for you without you having to assistance a finger. However, I americium a patient believer that nan litmus trial arsenic to whether an AI characteristic is worthy it should beryllium whether it is returning existent worth to your life, whether that beryllium clip aliases money, and successful nan champion case, both. This transcription characteristic successful Voice Memos does conscionable that. 

As a reporter, my occupation involves signaling interviews. These interviews require transcribing to not only make it easier to propulsion quotes but besides to parse done lengthy interviews. Ever since undergrad, I person relied connected services specified arsenic Otter.ai, which besides came successful useful for different uses, specified arsenic transcribing meetings, lectures, and conferences.

Also: 7 AI features I'd for illustration to spot nan iPhone 17 clasp from Google, OpenAI, and others

That said, nan Apple Intelligence Voice Memo transcription characteristic solved a awesome rumor I had pinch nan transcription service, and I americium apt ne'er going backmost -- and here's why you shouldn't either if you are an Apple personification who values a bang for your buck. 

Otter.ai jail

Before I explicate what makes nan Apple intelligence characteristic truthful good, I request to explicate nan biggest rumor pinch its much celebrated competitor, Otter.ai. The transcription work utilized AI to supply high-quality transcriptions agelong earlier nan exertion exploded successful popularity. 

While Otter.ai has a free subscription tier, it only allows 3 life audio/video record imports and 300 monthly minutes, which are easy to alert done if you're utilizing it connected a regular basis, arsenic 1 meeting, interview, aliases speech unsocial tin beryllium 60 minutes long. 

However, I was consenting to woody pinch that, arsenic astir of nan time, I conscionable logged connected from different emails whenever I deed a limit, and nan transcriptions were mostly accurate, pinch a convenient and easy interface. 

Also: Apple's caller chatbot reportedly rolls retired up of iPhone 17 - but it's not for you

Being sent to Otter.ai jailhouse was my past straw. 

Essentially, if you are connected a free plan, Otter.ai only lets you position your 25 astir caller conversations. Any older conversations complete 25 are archived and inaccessible. This is particularly problematic if, for illustration me, you require entree to your recordings months later, either for class, studying, aliases an article. 

The worst portion is that you can't export nan audio, moreover if you recorded it successful nan app. The only measurement to entree it is to upgrade to Otter Pro for $17 per month. Once that happened, I knew I had to find an alternative: Apple's Voice Memo. 

Apple Voice Memo Transcriptions (and really to access) 

Since my regular driver is an iPhone 16 Pro, I already grounds astir of my sound memos connected nan app. From covering Apple Intelligence extensively, I knew location was a transcription option, truthful I decided to springiness it a try. 

After months of utilizing it, I person recovered nan transcriptions to beryllium accurate. Most importantly, not only is it free to access, but it is highly easy to do truthful natively without having to export files. All you request is iOS 18.0 aliases later connected an iPhone 12 aliases later, which makes it 1 of Apple's much accessible features. The broader suite of Apple's AI features is disposable only to phones pinch nan A17 Pro spot aliases higher, which includes nan iPhone 15 Pro aliases later. 

Also: Nearly 70% of iPhone users scheme to upgrade to iPhone 17 - here's why (it's not AI)

Then, to entree nan transcripts, click connected nan icon that looks for illustration a quotation people wrong a thought bubble while signaling to spot a unrecorded transcript. Or, you tin spot nan matter aft nan fact. Like pinch Otter.ai, if you click connected nan text, it will play nan corresponding audio, which I often do to verify nan accuracy of nan transcription aliases drawback immoderate words it whitethorn person missed. 

While it lacks immoderate devices that Otter.ai has, specified arsenic nan expertise to item aliases adhd comments, you tin prime contented and transcript it to different app aliases document, and you tin besides take to transcript nan full transcript and import it elsewhere. I person done this earlier and imported it into a Google Doc truthful that I tin much easy item aliases make notes. The champion portion is knowing that my audio messages are not going to beryllium locked down a paywall astatine immoderate time. 

If you want step-by-step instructions connected really to initiate a signaling successful nan Voice Memos app aliases really to entree nan transcripts, you tin travel Apple's step-by-step guide. But arsenic mentioned above, nan process is beautiful intuitive. 

My favourite portion of this feature? A reminder that AI features tin beryllium elemental to beryllium good. 

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