At its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple unveiled iOS 18, the latest iteration of its iPhone operating system, set to launch this fall for numerous iPhone models.
Apple Intelligence
The highlight of iOS 18 is Apple Intelligence, the company’s advanced AI feature available for devices with the A17 and M series chips. Apple Intelligence is designed to assist with daily tasks by prioritizing notifications, providing writing tools for rewriting, proofreading, or summarizing text, and offering Smart Reply suggestions in the Mail app. The AI can reference what you’re looking at on your screen while maintaining privacy through on-device processing, ensuring no personal data is collected.
Apple Intelligence includes an image creation tool, Image Playground, which generates images in sketch, illustration, and animation styles. It also introduces Genmoji, generative AI emojis based on photos, and a Clean Up tool for removing unwanted objects from photos. Additionally, Memories allows users to create video stories by simply typing a description, with the AI selecting the best photos and videos and even suggesting songs.
The AI features extend to audio, enabling users to record, transcribe, and summarize audio in the Notes and Phone apps. Private Cloud Compute ensures privacy and security by processing more complex queries on secure servers that never store personal data. Siri receives a significant upgrade with a new look, better natural language understanding, and context retention, allowing users to type to Siri and ask questions about iOS features. Siri will also gain on-screen awareness and the ability to operate apps over the next year.
In a notable collaboration, Apple integrates ChatGPT into iOS 18 through Siri, allowing premium features for subscribers and ensuring user requests and information remain unlogged.
iOS 18 Enhanced Customization
iOS 18 brings unprecedented customization options, allowing users to arrange the home screen grid, change app icon colors, and personalize the Control Center with multiple pages and third-party app controls. Users can lock apps to protect sensitive information and specify which contacts apps can access, enhancing privacy when sharing the iPhone.
The new Passwords app consolidates passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes, providing alerts for weak, reused, or compromised passwords. Messages receive enhancements with “tapbacks” using any emoji or sticker, scheduled messages, text formatting options, and effects like jitter, shake, and bounce. iOS 18 also introduces RCS support and two-way satellite messaging with end-to-end encryption.
Other Features
The Mail app now offers on-device categorization similar to Gmail, with categories like Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions, along with quick skim digests. Maps introduces topographic maps with hiking routes accessible offline, while Wallet adds Tap to Cash for easy Apple Cash exchanges. Journal receives an Insights view for searching past entries, and Game Mode minimizes background activity to improve responsiveness during play sessions.
Photos undergo a major redesign, opening as a grid with the library at the bottom and offering collections for easy access to specific groups of photos.
Availability
The public beta of iOS 18 will be available in July, with the final release scheduled for the fall. A developer beta is already out for app testing on the new platform. Apple’s iOS 18 promises to deliver a more intelligent, customizable, and user-friendly experience, marking a significant upgrade for iPhone users.
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