iOS 18 is simply across the nook, with Apple set to unveil the software program replace throughout its WWDC keynote subsequent month. Beneath, we recap new options and modifications rumored for iOS 18, which is projected to be the “biggest” replace within the iPhone’s historical past.
iOS 18 is rumored to incorporate new AI options for Siri and plenty of apps, and Apple plans so as to add RCS assist to the Messages app for an improved texting expertise between iPhones and Android gadgets. The replace can be anticipated to introduce a extra customizable Residence Display screen and different person interface design modifications, new options in apps like Apple Maps and Calculator, extra accessibility options, and far more.
WWDC 2024 will start with Apple’s keynote on June 10 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, and the iOS 18 beta needs to be made obtainable to members of the Apple Developer Program instantly following the presentation. A public beta is usually launched in July, and the replace needs to be broadly launched to all customers in September.
For added info, learn our iOS 18 roundup.
Smarter Siri and Generative AI
iOS 18 is rumored to have new AI options for Siri, Highlight, Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Well being, Numbers, Pages, Keynote, and extra, in response to sources corresponding to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman and The Data‘s Wayne Ma.
Apple CEO Tim Prepare dinner has repeatedly teased that the corporate is engaged on generative AI, and plans to share particulars “later this year,” and Apple’s advertising and marketing chief Greg Joswiak additionally hinted at AI in a social media publish about WWDC 2024.
Generative AI surged in recognition in late 2022, when OpenAI launched ChatGPT, a chatbot that may reply to questions and different textual content prompts. The corporate has additionally expanded into generative AI instruments for pictures and movies. Different firms like Google and Microsoft have additionally pushed into the generative AI area, and the know-how is rapidly evolving.
iOS 18 shouldn’t be anticipated to incorporate an Apple-designed chatbot, however a partnership with OpenAI will reportedly be introduced at WWDC.
Extra Customizable Residence Display screen
iOS 18 will characteristic a “more customizable” Residence Display screen, in response to Gurman.
MacRumors solely reported that iOS 18 will lastly permit customers to position app icons anyplace on the Residence Display screen grid. Because of this customers will be capable to create clean areas, columns, and rows between app icons. This fundamental characteristic has lengthy been obtainable on Android smartphones, and now Apple is bringing it to the iPhone.
iPhone customers can already customise the Residence Display screen with apps corresponding to Shortcuts and Widgetsmith, which can be utilized to create “blank” app icons and widgets, however Apple’s official answer will likely be far more handy.
It was additionally reported that iOS 18 will permit customers to alter the colour of app icons.
New Accessibility Options
Earlier this month, Apple previewed many new accessibility options coming later this yr with software program updates like iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, and visionOS 2. The announcement got here at some point forward of International Accessibility Consciousness Day.
A number of the new options coming to the iPhone embody Eye Monitoring, Automobile Movement Cues, Music Haptics, and Vocal Shortcuts. CarPlay may even be getting extra accessibility options with iOS 18, together with Sound Recognition, which is able to permit drivers or passengers who’re deaf or exhausting of listening to to activate alerts to be notified of automobile horns and sirens.
New Apple Maps Options
MacRumors beforehand revealed two potential new Apple Maps options coming with iOS 18: customized routes and topographic maps.
With the customized routes characteristic, Apple Maps customers would be capable to select particular roads to journey on whereas navigating, for causes corresponding to familiarity or scenic views. This characteristic is anticipated to be obtainable within the U.S. solely at launch. Google Maps already permits customers to create customized routes on the internet, after which view them on an iPhone.
Topographic maps first debuted on the Apple Watch final yr with watchOS 10, and code means that the characteristic will likely be expanded to the iPhone, Mac, and Imaginative and prescient Professional with iOS 18, macOS 15, and visionOS 2. These maps embody particulars corresponding to trails, contour traces, elevation, and factors of curiosity for mountaineering and different outside makes use of.
RCS Assist in Messages App
In November, Apple introduced that it might assist the cross-platform messaging normal RCS within the Messages app on the iPhone beginning “later” in 2024, so it’s going to possible be an iOS 18 characteristic primarily based on that timeframe.
RCS assist ought to consequence within the following enhancements to the default messaging expertise between iPhones and Android gadgets:
- Increased-resolution pictures and movies
- Audio messages
- Typing indicators
- Learn receipts
- Wi-Fi messaging
- Improved group chats, together with the flexibility for iPhone customers to go away a dialog that features Android customers
These options are already obtainable for iMessage and in lots of third-party messaging apps, corresponding to WhatsApp and Telegram. RCS assist on the iPhone will lengthen the options to inexperienced bubbles within the Messages app.
Extra Rumors Per App
- Apple Music: With iOS 18, Apple Music will reportedly be capable to auto-generate playlists, and there’s additionally a rumor about smarter music transitions.
- Calculator: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 are rumored to characteristic a revamped Calculator app with a number of new options, together with a sidebar that lists latest calculations, an improved interface for changing items, integration with the Notes app, and extra. Which means the Calculator app will lastly be obtainable on iPads.
- Calendar: Two apps rumored to be built-in on iOS 18 are Calendar and Reminders. This might permit customers to schedule and manage reminders straight throughout the Calendars app, with no need to open the Reminders app.
- Freeform: iOS 18 is rumored so as to add a brand new “Scenes” choice to Apple’s drawing app Freeform. This characteristic would permit customers to pick out particular sections (“scenes”) on the canvas for simpler navigation.
- Well being: Apple is reportedly planning new AI-powered options for its Well being app, however no particular particulars are identified but.
- Keynote, Numbers, and Pages: Alongside iOS 18, Apple reportedly plans to replace its iWork suite of productiveness apps with new generative AI options for auto-generating slides in Keynote, writing quicker in Pages, and extra.
- Mail, Photographs, and Health: These apps will reportedly be “overhauled” with iOS 18. AI-powered photograph retouching is reportedly coming to the Photographs app with iOS 18, and the Mail app may achieve steered replies to emails, however no different particular particulars are identified but for these apps.
- Messages: Along with RCS assist, it has been rumored that the Messages app will use generative AI to auto-complete sentences extra successfully, and to auto-generate customized emojis for customers primarily based on the content material of messages.
- Notes and Voice Memos: With iOS 18, the Notes app is anticipated to have the ability to show mathematical notation, permitting customers to incorporate extra kinds of algebraic equations and formulation in notes. The app can be rumored to achieve a built-in audio recording device, eliminating the necessity to change over to the Voice Memos app. As well as, each Notes and Voice Memos may achieve the flexibility to transcribe audio.
- Safari: iOS 18 is probably going so as to add a searching assistant to Safari, which may summarize internet pages and extra. A brand new “Web Eraser” characteristic that might permit customers to take away sure components from internet pages has additionally been rumored.
- Shortcuts: With iOS 18, customers will reportedly be capable to automate complicated duties extra simply with the Shortcuts app.
Whereas they aren’t devoted apps, it has additionally been rumored that generative AI know-how will permit the iPhone’s digital assistant Siri and built-in search device Highlight to reply to extra complicated questions and search queries.