Hark! Apple hath showcased the next grand iteration of iOS 18 during its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June. Verily, this update is the most substantial in iOS history, brimming with features that doth pack quite a punch.
iOS 18, dear readers, doth mark a pivotal moment in the annals of the iPhone. Forsooth, it introduceth Apple Intelligence, the noble suite of AI tools crafted by Apple. Alongside new customization tools and a renovated Photos app, there lies a vast realm to explore. Here is a compendium of all thou needeth to know about iOS 18.
Release Date of iOS 18
Apple hath unleashed the initial developer beta for iOS 18 promptly after the WWDC ceremonial address in June, whilst the public beta hath sprouted forth in July. Lo and behold! As we draw nigh unto September, we find ourselves amidst the final stages of both the developer and public betas.
In the tradition of yore, Apple doth releaseth the final version of iOS to the masses about a fortnight after the announcement of the forthcoming iPhones. Thus, with the iPhone 16 feast transpiring on September 9, the harbinger of iOS 18 should grace us during the week of September 16.
iPhones Fit to Embrace iOS 18
Pray, Apple hath woven a tapestry of complexity in terms of compatibility for iOS 18. Whilst thou mayst install iOS 18 upon iPhones as far-reaching as the iPhone XR, thou shalt requireth at least an iPhone bedecked with the noble A17 Pro chip to partake of the new Apple Intelligence features. This doth count the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max among the privileged few who shall receive the full bounty of iOS 18.
Wherefore this decision? ‘Tis like owing to the 8GB of RAM housed within the bosom of the iPhone 15 Pro models, in concert with the prowess conferred by the A17 Pro. Verily, AI doth oft demandeth a surfeit of power to function well by virtue of their vast language models, thus this choice seemeth prudent. Alas, it doth meaneth that even the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus art somewhat dated, lacking as they doth the minimum requirements for Apple Intelligence.
Methinks the entire iPhone 16 series shall be graced with the benediction of Apple Intelligence. For they may voyageth forth into the world armed with iOS 18 from the outset, with Apple Intelligence as a lodestar for the new lineage.
Indeed, a myriad of other features frolic in the realm of iOS 18 that the non-iPhone 15 Pro models shall also enjoy. Should thee require a nudge, we do possess a roster of every iPhone compatible with iOS 18. As for iPads, one requires at least an M1 chip to savor the delights of iPadOS 18.
Behold! Apple Intelligence Beckons
Apple Intelligence doth stand at the forefront of iOS 18, a colossus of great import. Whilst many iPhones shalt stand in support of iOS 18, not all shalt partake of the Apple Intelligence features. Ere the arrival of the iPhone 16 line, only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max shall bask in the radiance of Apple Intelligence.
Apple hath fashioned its Apple Intelligence AI as “comprised of highly capable large language and diffusion models specialized for your everyday tasks.” This AI shall draw upon thine personal context to lend thee aid, comprehending and creating language and images. ‘Tis a boon that doth enable thee to streamline actions across the various apps thou dost employ on a daily basis.
Apple
Apple Intelligence hath the power to arrange thy notifications in order of priority, placing the most essential at the zenith of the hierarchy. A novel Reduce Interruptions Focus feature shall ensure that only notifications imperative for immediate attention shall pierce thy consciousness.
Furthermore, yon Apple Intelligence doth house writing tools within its hallowed realm. These writing tools, integrated systemwide, shall assist thee in crafting prose across both first- and third-party apps. Rewrite shall do precisely that—craft a fresh rendition of thine verbiage, perchance infused with a different tenor. Proofread shall guide thee in warding off grammatical and typographical fumbles, proffering edit suggestions. Summarize shall allow thee to select text and receive a digest of vital information in a more palatable form. These summaries can also be unearthed in thy email inbox, whilst Apple Notes can transcribe and memorialize audio.
Apple
Image generation lays at the heart of Apple Intelligence. An innovative app named Image Playground hath been birthed by Apple, granting thee the ability to “craft” original images to express thyself in myriad ways. Image Playground hath been seamlessly woven into the Messages app, other apps such as Notes, and even third-party apps that doth harness the Application Programming Interface (API). Should thou prefer, thou mayst partake of the standalone Image Playground app.
Even as thou dost fashion thine own images within Image Playground, Apple Intelligence hath the power to birth custom emojis with Genmoji. Merely proffer a descriptor, and Apple Intelligence shalt conjure a personalized emoji based upon thy words.
Siri too shall be blessed with newfound wisdom through Apple Intelligence. With the aid of AI, Siri shall find greater acuity in understanding natural language and engaging in conversational discourse. Even should thy speech falter, Siri shall comprehend thee and retain the context of thy words from one entreaty to the next.
Additionally, Siri shall boast a trove of knowledge concerning Apple’s products, enabling thee to seek guidance on navigating thy iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Lastly, Siri shall be imbued with on-screen awareness, permitting thee to take action with Siri based upon the contents of thy screen.
Apple hath melded ChatGPT into the tapestry of Apple Intelligence. Should Siri find herself unable to fulfill thy request, ChatGPT shall emerge as a beacon of illumination, granting thee answers sans the need to traverse unto other realms. ChatGPT shall also be accessible through the writing tools.
Apple Intelligence doth render feasible the Clean Up tool within Photos, a feature we shall delve into anon. This tool, akin to Google’s Magic Eraser and Samsung’s Object Eraser tools, enables thee to erase unwanted elements from thine photos. Moreover, thou shalt find thy searches through photos and videos expedited and refined by natural language understanding. Memory videos shall be conjured forth with but a phrase, courtesy of Apple Intelligence.
Myriad Customization Options
Bryan M. Wolfe / Moyens I/O
Amidst the grand tapestry of iOS 18, aside from Apple Intelligence, lie novel customization options awaiting thee. For the very first time, iPhone users art empowered to tailor their home screens akin to their Android brethren.
With iOS 18, thou hast the prerogative to place thine apps and widgets in any nook and cranny of the home screen grid. In bygone days, thou wouldst have had to resort to workarounds or the Shortcut app to create a “blank” icon to interpose betwixt app icons and fashion space. Now, with iOS 18, thou mayst arrange icons and widgets as thou dost please. This heralds a new epoch of home screen personalization, bringing thee closer unto the realm of Android.
Furthermore, Apple hath bestowed upon thee a “dark mode” theme for thine app icons. Shouldst thou don the cloak of darkness upon thy iPhone with iOS 18, thine app icons shall receive a dusky veil to ease the strain upon thine eyes. A new app icon tinting feature shalt allow thee to alter the color of icons to harmonize with thy wallpaper or the hue that tickles thy fancy.
Should’st thou find thy app icons and widgets too diminutive, thou art bestowed with the power to enlarge them. ‘Tis a bounty of tools, bespeaking good tidings for aficionados of customization.
A Redesigned Control Center
Apple
For many a moon, the Control Center hath remained unaltered. However, iOS 18 doth bestow upon it a much-needed refurbishment.
The renovated Control Center boasts a plethora of controls at thy disposal, which thou mayst add to as thou see fit. The order of controls may be rearranged, even the default selection. Moreover, thou now hast the latitude to fashion multiple pages and groups of controls. Developers art empowered to craft controls for their apps, which thou mayst incorporate into the Control Center, adjusting the sizing of each control according to thine preference.
Perchance thou dost wish to supplant the lock screen controls with aught else, such as the offerings of third-party apps—verily, thou art not fettered to the flashlight and camera alone. Availest thyself of the Action button to access the new controls.
Substantial Changes to Apple Photos
Apple
Lo! Apple hath graced Photos with a substantial makeover in this epoch of iOS 18.
Within the sanctum of Apple Photos, thou shalt encounter a new unified view, eclipsing the era of separate tabs and sections. Whilst the Photo Library remaineth the focal point, ancillary content awaits thee with but a swipe downward. These treasures encompass collections of images formerly housed beneath the For You tab, as well as any albums thou mayst have fashioned.
The rejuvenated Photos app boasteth fresh filter and sorting options, aiding thee in swiftly locating thy desired content. Sorting options include the likes of recently added or by capture date, whilst the filters encompass Favorites, Edited, Photos, Videos, and Screenshots. Once a filter is chosen, the items thou hast shall be presented within that category.
Central to the new Photos app art Collections, cleverly devised groupings of photos and videos shaped by subject, location, type, and other metadata parameters. In iOS 18, thou mayst reorder these collections beneath the Photo Library grid or excise a collection entirely. Should a Collection capture thy fancy, ’tis within thy power to pin it for facile access.
As hinted afore, Apple Intelligence doth nestle within the realm of the Photos app as well. Should thy iPhone harbor Apple Intelligence, thou shalt behold the new Clean Up photo-editing tool at thy disposal, a tool adept at expunging unwanted denizens and objects from thy photos. The search function hath been refined to grasp natural language and yield more precise results. Furthermore, Memory Maker employs Apple Intelligence to craft a personalized Memory Movie from extant photos and videos with but a prompt.
Many New Messages Features
Moyens I/O
The Messages app is poised for momentous improvements with the advent of iOS 18.
Foremost among these changes is the incorporation of RCS messaging, heralding a boon in communication between iPhone and Android denizens. Embracing RCS messaging shall enshroud thy discourse in end-to-end encryption, read receipts, typing indicators, and—most wondrous of all—higher-quality image and video transfers. Henceforth, when thy Android-using compatriot dispatches a video unto thee, it shalt no longer resemble a pixelated specter the size of a postage stamp! Pray, take heed that RCS messages shalt still sport green bubbles, a mark of their unique lineage.
Furthermore, updates for Messages encompass rich text formatting, new animation styles, and the capacity to dispatch texts via satellite. Thou mayst employ any emoji or sticker as a Tapback reaction and schedule text messages for a later hour. Shouldst thou possess an iPhone bedecked with Apple Intelligence, thou art granted leave to employ Image Playground to spawn contextual images and forge personalized Genmoji.
A Novel Password Manager Nestled Within Thy iPhone
Bryan M. Wolfe / Moyens I/O
Whilst Apple hath long permitted users to store passwords within Keychain, the task of accessing these saved passwords oft proved a labyrinthine endeavor, with Keychain ensconced within the Settings app. Fear not, for iOS 18 doth usher forth a new realm—the Passwords app.
Behold! The Passwords app is styled after the venerable Reminders app, bedecked with tiles denoting categories and a search bar aloft. Shouldst thou have already imbued Keychain with the relics of thy logins and passwords, ’tis within thy ken to unearth them within this sanctum, verifying thine identity with Touch ID or Face ID.
Upon selecting a password for perusal, thou shalt espy details such as site or app name, username, login, verification code, websites, notes, and more. Thou art free to append new entries, erase existent passwords, edit them, and even assort them by date edited or created, website, or title.
All passwords housed within the Passwords app art in harmony, synchronizing via iCloud Keychain. Thou mayst access the Passwords app upon thy iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro, and Mac. Apple hath vowed to introduce a Passwords app unto iTunes for Windows at a later date.
Those who partake of other password manager apps, such as 1Password or LastPass, shall eventually find the passage to import their passwords smoothed. Alas, Apple hath not yet set forth a firm date for this feature.
Other Updates/Features Within iOS 18
Nadeem Sarwar / Moyens I/O
Verily, iOS 18 is replete with changes, yet we but grazed upon the grandest of them. Herein lieth a swift summary of smaller changes thou shouldst keep thine eyes upon.
The Mail app shalt sport a novel Primary category within the unified inbox, focusing upon time-sensitive missives from those who hold significance in thy regard. ‘Tis the realm where emails from the same sender art grouped, be they receipts, marketing missives, or newsletters from a singular company.
Safari hath unfurled Highlights, a feature that doth detect pertinent tidbits on a page and enshrine them prominently as thou dost browse. The Reader view hath been refashioned to be more sagacious, sporting a table of contents and an overarching summarization. Should thy curiosity be piqued, we offer a closer scrutiny of the extensive Safari alterations.
Within Maps, thou shalt have leave to download topographical maps and trail networks, saving hikes for offline perusal, and forging custom walking and hiking routes. For gamers, a new Game Mode shall maximize the performance of thy device by tempering background activity and maintaining consistently high frame rates. This mode shall also slash audio latency when employing AirPods, rendering wireless game controllers more responsive.
Behold! Apple Wallet is graced with Tap to Cash, enabling thy iPhone to bequeath instant funds to another iPhone through Apple Cash merely by drawing them nigh. Reward programs and installment plans find sanctuary within Apple Wallet, alongside redesigned event tickets that incorporate an event guide.
HomeKit enthusiasts shall discover new marvels within the Home app, including the capacity to bestow specific controls with guest access and effect hands-free unlocking via Express Mode. Finally, patrons of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company shall gaze upon their home electricity usage directly within the Home app, a boon that shall soon come to fruition.
