At its annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) on Monday, June 10, Cupertino-based Apple finally unveiled the long-awaited successor to iOS 17.
We’ve previously heard a lot of rumours about iOS 18, some of which came true today.
Revamped Control Center
With iOS 18, Apple is refreshing the way the Control Center looks and feels. Pulling down from the top right of your iPhone will show a familiar yet redesigned UI, which can now be highly customized to suit your needs and not limited to the basic controls. The Control Center can now house control cards for media, smart home, and more.
Further, swiping down once and lifting your finger will take you to your basic Control Center screen. However, if you perform a single continuous swipe, you’ll be able to switch control pages. You’ll be able to customize how the controls are laid out, and even re-size them.
Developers, on the other hand, will now have access to a new Control API that will let them make widgets for their apps, which can be housed directly in the Control Center.
Home Screen customization
Apple introduced several Home Screen customization options with iOS 17. With iOS 18, the tech giant is taking things further by finally allowing users to place applications in the way they want. Users would now be able to arrange app icons and widgets in a way that suits their wallpaper, even off to the side. Elsewhere, users would also be able to bring up a new customization sheet that can tint your app icons to compliment the colour scheme of your wallpaper (you also have the option to choose the tint colour).
New app privacy features
Have you ever handed over your iPhone to someone to look at something, but you’re afraid they might get their hands on the sensitive stuff? With iOS 18, Apple will allow you to lock your applications behind an authentication screen. If someone tries to open one of these apps, they’ll need to authenticate with either FaceID, TouchID or with a passcode. Elsewhere, if you don’t want the app to be visible at all, it can be placed in a ‘hidden apps folder,’ which would also be locked behind authentication.
New features for Messages
Tapbacks, one of the most popular iMessage features, is now even better. With iOS 18, users will be able to choose any emoji or stickers for Tapback reactions, allowing them to express themselves better. Users would also be able to schedule messages directly within the Messages app, alongside an option to format texts with bold, italics, underlines and strikethrough.
New text effects are also coming to the Messages app, paired with satellite messaging that will support regular SMS, and end-to-end encryption.
Apple Intelligence
Alongside iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, Apple Intelligence is also making its way to iOS 18. It’s worth noting that Apple Intelligence will be limited to phones with the A17 Pro chipset. That means right now, only iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users will be able to take advantage of these features. It is very likely that the AI features will make their way to older iPhones, but on-device processing might stay limited to phones with the A17 Pro chipset.
Apple suggests that its AI model can take personal context into account, and take a range of actions, like pulling up files or photos according to your command, and prioritizing some notifications over others. The update will bring system-wide writing assistance like rewriting, proofreading and text summarizing across several text-based apps. Elsewhere, it also brings AI image generation in sketch, illustration and animation formats. For example, when you wish someone happy birthday, you’ll be able to generate an image of them with a cake and balloons and send it alongside the message.
Apple also added that Apple Intelligence is made with privacy in mind. When processing requests, your device will not collect your personal data, and most tasks will be processed on-device. In situations where on-device processing isn’t possible, your phone will only send the information needed to complete the task to Apple’s private cloud computing data centres.
You can find a detailed list of all the new Apple Intelligence features here.
Everything else
Other new features include an update to Maps, which now brings hike routes across national parks in the United States to your fingertips, alongside an option to create your own custom walking routes (available offline). iPhones are finally getting a Game Mode. (Android phones got their own gaming mode back with Android 12). The mode will minimize background activity on your iPhone to achieve the best possible game performance.
Updates to Apple Wallet include a new Tap to Cash feature. The feature works similarly to NameDrop, allowing users to tap their iPhones together to exchange Apple Cash without exchanging email or contact information. Elsewhere, the Tickets section in Apple Wallet also received a new design with iOS 18. It now shows and highlights key information related to the event, like stadium details, recommended Apple Music playlists, and more.
iOS 18 Develop Beta will be available to install starting today. Public Beta goes live next month, while the official release will take place later this year, likely in September.
Find all of our WWDC 2024 coverage here.
Image credit: Apple
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