Apple has announced iOS 18, the next major update for its iconic iPhone smartphone, representing significant improvement in personalisation, communication capabilities, and artificial intelligence (AI) integration.
The announcement of the iOS 18, which was held at the Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) that held Monday, came with new features across their devices.
It seems like Apple is just catching up to Android in terms of customisation. One of the most anticipated features is the degree of customisation users will have over their iPhones.
But the biggest news comes with “Messages via Satellite.” With this feature, available on iPhone 14 and later models, users will be able to connect directly to satellites and send and receive texts over iMessage and SMS even in remote locations with no cellular or Wi-Fi signal. “Messages via satellite automatically prompts users to connect to their nearest satellite right from the Messages app to send and receive texts, emoji, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS.3 With Dynamic Island, users always know when they are connected to a satellite. Because iMessage was built to protect user privacy, iMessages sent via satellite are end-to-end encrypted,” Apple said.
Apple: iOS 18 marks dawn of personal intelligence that transforms iPhone experience
“We are thrilled to introduce iOS 18. It is a huge release with incredible features, including new levels of customisation and capability, a redesigned Photos app, and powerful ways to stay connected with Messages. There are so many benefits for everyone,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering said.
“This release,” Federighi said, “also marks the beginning of a tremendously exciting new era of personal intelligence with Apple Intelligence delivering intuitive, powerful, and instantly useful experiences that will transform the iPhone experience, all with privacy at the core. We can’t wait for users to experience it.”
In terms of customisation, Apple users can now stop using the rigid grid layout and freely arrange apps and widgets on the Home Screen, perfectly framing a wallpaper or placing frequently used apps within easy reach. Apple has also made room for Lock Screen customisation, this allows users to choose from various options available in the control gallery or even remove them entirely. The Control Centre has gotten a revamp as well, it now offers easier access to frequently used functions and the ability to create custom groups and adjust their size. “Users can now add controls from supported third-party apps into the Control Centre to quickly unlock a vehicle or jump right into capturing content for social media — all from one place,” Apple said.
The Photos app has received its biggest redesign. A simplified, single view has replaced the previous album-based structure. New helpful collections allow users to categorise photos by themes without going through the manual album creation process. Plus, these collections can be pinned for easy access to favourites. “Because each user’s photo library is unique, the app is customisable,” Apple highlights, “users can organise collections, pin collections to access frequently, and include what’s most important to them in the carousel view.”
That is not the only new feature in iOS 18, iMessage has gained new text effects which allows users to add a dynamic touch to their conversations by amplifying any letter, word, phrase, or emoji with animations, according to Apple. For those who communicate beyond the Apple ecosystem, iOS 18 introduces support for RCS messaging, offering richer media and more reliable group messaging compared to SMS and MMS.
But the biggest news comes with “Messages via Satellite.” With this feature, available on iPhone 14 and later models, users will be able to connect directly to satellites and send and receive texts over iMessage and SMS even in remote locations with no cellular or Wi-Fi signal. “Messages via satellite automatically prompts users to connect to their nearest satellite right from the Messages app to send and receive texts, emoji, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS.3 With Dynamic Island, users always know when they are connected to a satellite. Because iMessage was built to protect user privacy, iMessages sent via satellite are end-to-end encrypted,” Apple said.
While this feature has been seen in most android phones, the iOS 18 update now allows users to lock and hide apps by moving it to a locked, hidden apps folder. According to Apple, “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.”
Perhaps the most significant change in iOS 18 is the introduction of Apple Intelligence, a personal intelligence system. This AI-powered system, according to Apple, is designed to enhance writing, communication, and photo editing experiences. Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, is also set to benefit from AI advancements, becoming more natural, contextual, and personalised in its interactions. This integration of AI marks a significant shift from iOS 17, which offered only limited AI functionality. Apple Intelligence also offers features such as rewriting text, summarising emails, and creating playful images in seconds.
The official release of iOS 18 is expected this fall (September-December) for iPhone Xs and later models. The developer beta is now available, with a public beta following next month.
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