iPhone beta now lets you upgrade to ChatGPT Plus in Settings

People testing the second developer beta of iOS 18.2 can now buy ChatGPT Plus without leaving Settings. The same beta also shows that free ChatGPT on the iPhone has a daily usage limit. Heavy users may hit it and see the $19.99 upgrade offer.

What changed

A developer beta is an early test version of iPhone software, meant for app makers and eager testers. Beta 2 of iOS 18.2 adds more Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji, Image Playground, Image Wand and Visual Intelligence. Apple Intelligence is Apple's name for its AI tools. It also adds the ChatGPT Plus upgrade, as reported by 9to5Mac.

To find it, update to the latest beta. Then open Settings, tap Apple Intelligence & Siri, and tap ChatGPT. The upgrade option appears there. The free version's daily limit can also be tracked in Settings.

What Plus adds

ChatGPT Plus costs $19.99. According to 9to5Mac, the upgrade through Apple Intelligence includes these perks:

• Up to 5 times more messages on GPT-4, plus access to more advanced models
• Higher limits for uploading photos and files, creating images and browsing the web
• A better voice feature for smoother, real-time conversations
• Access to OpenAI o1-preview and o1-mini

Why the limit matters

The deal between Apple and OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, was unclear at first. Reports said Apple paid nothing for the partnership. Rumors also conflicted on whether Apple Intelligence would carry a fee.

The picture is clearer now. Some ChatGPT features in Apple Intelligence are free, and more advanced ones need a paid plan. Mashable says this may point to a revenue sharing deal between the two companies, but that is a guess, not a confirmed arrangement.

What to do

Casual users of ChatGPT on the iPhone probably do not need to change anything. If you use it daily and keep running into the limit, the upgrade may be worth a look. Beta software can be buggy, so back up your phone before installing it.

What happens next

The public version of iOS 18.2 is expected in early December. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says it will bring major improvements to Apple Intelligence. The material does not say exactly how many free messages you get per day, so that is worth watching as the release nears.