iOS 18 Announced
Users will be able to arrange apps and widgets in any open space on the Home Screen, customize the buttons at the bottom of the Lock Screen, and quickly access more controls in Control Center. Photo libraries are automatically organized in a new single view in Photos, and helpful new collections keep favorites easily accessible. Mail simplifies the inbox by sorting email into categories using on-device intelligence, and all-new text effects come to iMessage. Powered by the same groundbreaking technology as existing iPhone satellite capabilities, users can now communicate over satellite in the Messages app when a cellular or Wi-Fi connection isn’t available.
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Locked and hidden apps offer users peace of mind that information they want to keep private, such as app notifications and content, will not inadvertently be seen by others. Users can now lock an app; and for additional privacy, they can hide an app, moving it to a locked, hidden apps folder. When an app is locked or hidden, content like messages or emails inside the app are hidden from search, notifications, and other places across the system.
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In Apple Maps, users can browse thousands of hikes across national parks in the United States and easily create their own custom walking routes, which they can access offline. Maps users can also save their favorite national park hikes, custom walking routes, and locations to an all-new Places Library and add personal notes about each spot.
iOS 18 will be compatible with the same iPhone models as iOS 17[…] iOS 18 will be compatible with the iPhone XR, and hence also the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models with the same A12 Bionic chip, but older iPhone models will miss out.
One major new feature will enable using the Messages app even when you don’t have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection.
iOS 18 includes Tap to Cash, a new way to send money to your friends using Apple Pay Cash. By simply bringing your phone close to a friend, you can send money instantly – transferring from your Apple Cash account.
It’s like AirDrop, but for sending money.
In iOS 18, when you invoke Control Center with a swipe down from the top-right of your iPhone’s screen, you can continuously swipe to get to more control center screens. There’s a new controls gallery that lets you customize the controls you see, and you can change the size of buttons to emphasize priority. Additionally, developers can include controls from their own apps, enabling quick access to controls like remotely starting a car, for example.
Siri Interactions allow AirPods Pro users to privately respond to Siri with a simple head nod yes or shake no. For even clearer call quality, Voice Isolation comes to AirPods Pro, helping ensure the caller’s voice is heard in loud or windy environments. AirPods updates also significantly reduce audio latency while gaming, and add Personalized Spatial Audio for even more immersive gameplay.
iMessage is finally getting bold, italics, underline, and strikeout options, along with all-new text effects that allow you to animate individual words in a message.
Apple has redesigned the Tapback icons like the heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, and exclamation marks to be more colorful on iOS 18, and the Tapback system now works with any emoji too.
Previously:
- iPadOS 18 Announced
- macOS 15 Sequoia Announced
- iOS 17.5.1 and iPadOS 17.5.1
- Apple to Add RCS Messaging in iOS 17 Update
- iOS 17 Announced
Update (2024-06-13): See also: ArsTechnica, MacStories, Hacker News, Macworld, AppleInsider.
Malcolm Owen (MacRumors, 9To9Mac):
Under iOS 18, it is possible to change how wide or narrow the beam of light is for some later models of iPhone.
As part of its Home Screen customization overhaul, iOS 18 lets iPhone users hide the labels on app icons for a cleaner look.
One of the interesting new features coming in iOS 18 will let you automatically record and transcribe your live phone calls through the Phone app.
A long-requested feature for Android users switching to iPhone is the addition of T9 dialling. This is a shortcut to dialling phone numbers from your address book, by typing in letters on the keypad.
Apple revamped the iCloud section of the Apple Account (formerly Apple ID) that’s available in the Settings app. The redesigned interface has much of the same functionality, but a “Saved to iCloud” feature makes it clearer how storage is being used.
Update (2024-06-19): D. Griffin Jones:
After spending a few days trying out all the new features in iOS 18, I think it really is one of the biggest updates in a long time. However, hands-on testing shows there’s a lot that needs cleaned up before September, when it’s expected to ship.
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Is Apple a global company? Doesn't seem like it when they always drag their feet at bringing new features to non-US territories. Why is that no problem for Google/Android?
Indeed! I *do* have the requisite HW, but I'm in Blighty.
The only feature I'm actually wild about here is summaries of emails in the preview. Honestly, that's literally the only thing I can think of actually making a meaningful difference. Hopefully the rest of it is much-needed bug fixes. Certainly a couple of accessibility tweaks I am looking forward to though.