What’s new in the latest Apple iPhone software, release date

Courtesy of Apple

Features include customization options, photo review and the addition of ChatGPT

Apple announced iOS 18, the next generation of the operating system that powers iPhones. Here’s an overview of what’s new in the upcoming update.

According to Apple, iOS 18 will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone Xs and later versions. It comes with a slew of new features and improvements, including customization options, the ability to send messages via satellite, the ChatGPT add-on and other AI features, and what the company is touting as the biggest-ever redesign of the Photos app.

Customization features

In iOS 18, iPhone users can now place apps and widgets in any open space on the Home screen, including placing them directly above the dock. Additionally, app icons and widgets can get a new look with a faded or tinted effect, and can also be enlarged.
Control Center has been redesigned to give you faster access to your most frequently used controls, such as media playback, home controls, and connectivity, and the ability to easily swipe between them. Users can now also add controls from supported third-party apps to the Control Center.
For the first time, you’ll be able to toggle controls at the bottom of the lock screen, including selecting options available in the control gallery or removing them entirely.

Photo features

The updated Photos app in iOS 18 offers a simplified, single view with the familiar grid, and new collections make it easier for users to browse by theme. Additionally, you can pin collections for easy access to your favorites.
The new carousel view shows highlights updated daily and features your favorite people, animals, places and more. Autoplay in Photos brings your libraries to life and highlights moments as you browse.

Messaging features

iMessage will feature all-new text effects that enhance any letter, word, phrase or emoji using animations. Users can also add formatting such as bold, underline, italics, and strikethrough.
For sending messages to contacts who don’t have Apple devices, the Messages app now supports the RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol, which provides richer multimedia and “more reliable group messaging” compared to SMS and MMS, the company says.
iOS 18 introduced Messages via Satellite when cellular and Wi-Fi connections are not available. Messages via Satellite automatically asks users to connect to the nearest satellite directly from the Messages app to send and receive texts, emojis and tapbacks via iMessage and SMS; SMS availability depends on your mobile operator and charges may apply.

Mail features

The built-in Mail app will add new ways for users to manage their inbox. On-device categorization organizes and sorts incoming emails into “Main” for personal and time-sensitive emails, “Transactions” for receipts and confirmations, “Updates” for social media messages and notifications, and “Promotions” for marketing emails and coupons.
The new summary view aggregates relevant emails from the same company, allowing users to search for what’s important right now.

Safari Features

In iOS 18, Safari can use AI to reveal key information about a web page, such as presenting a text summary of an article or allowing you to listen to an artist’s song directly from an article about the song or album.
Safari’s reader has been redesigned to offer more ways to read articles, with a summary and table of contents for longer articles.

Passwords app

New in iOS 18 will be the Passwords app, which Apple says is based on Keychain (first introduced over 25 years ago). The new Passwords app gives you one place to access your passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords and verification codes.
The app also includes alerts for users on common security vulnerabilities, such as easy-to-guess or reusable passwords, as well as those that appear in cases of known data leaks.

Privacy Features

Locked and hidden apps provide users with a new way to protect the privacy of information such as notifications and app content so that they are not accidentally visible to others. Users can now lock the app, and for added privacy, they can hide it (moving it to a closed, hidden app folder). When an app is locked or hidden, content such as messages and emails in the app are hidden from searches, notifications, and other places throughout the system.
iOS 18 allows you to share apps with only specific contacts. Additionally, developers now have the ability to connect third-party accessories to the iPhone without allowing the app to see all other devices on the user’s network, ensuring the privacy of the user’s devices and enabling pairing.

Apple Intelligence: New AI Features

Deeply integrated with iOS 18 and built from the ground up with privacy in mind, Apple Intelligence opens up new ways for users to improve their typing and communicate more effectively. With all-new system-wide writing tools built into iOS 18, users can rewrite, revise and summarize text almost anywhere they write, including in Mail, Notes, Pages and third-party apps.
New image possibilities make communication and self-expression even more enjoyable. With Image Playground, users can create fun images in seconds by choosing from three styles: animation, illustration or sketch. Image Playground is easy to use, built into apps like Messages, and also available in a dedicated app.
Memories in Photos allows users to create the stories they want to see by simply entering a description. Apple Intelligence will select the best photos and videos based on the description, create a storyline from chapters based on the themes identified in the photos, and arrange them into a video with its own narrative thread. Additionally, the new Cleanup tool can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of your photo – without accidentally changing the subject.
Thanks to the power of Apple Intelligence, Siri takes a huge step forward, becoming even more natural, contextual and personal. Users can write to Siri and switch between text and voice to communicate with Siri in whatever way she sees fit at the time.
With Private Cloud Compute, Apple sets a new standard for privacy in AI by offering the ability to flexibly and scale computing power between on-device processing and larger server models that run on dedicated Apple silicon servers. When requests are directed to Private Cloud Compute, the data is not stored or shared with Apple and is used only to fulfill your requests, and this privacy can be verified by independent experts.
Additionally, ChatGPT access is integrated with Siri and system-wide writing tools across Apple platforms, allowing users to access specialized knowledge – as well as the ability to understand images and documents – without having to switch between tools.

Additional features in iOS 18

In Apple Maps, users can browse thousands of U.S. national park hikes and create their own custom walking routes (which can be accessed offline).
According to Apple, Game Mode improves the gaming experience with a more consistent frame rate, especially during long gaming sessions, and also makes wireless accessories like AirPods and game controllers more responsive.
Users gain new ways to pay with Apple Pay, including the ability to redeem rewards and access installments with eligible credit or debit cards. With Tap to Cash, users can send and receive Apple Cash by simply holding two iPhone devices together. Tickets in Apple Wallet will include key event information, such as stadium details and featured Apple Music playlists.
SharePlay with Apple Music lets even more users share control of music playback from HomePod, Apple TV or any Bluetooth-enabled speaker.
In Notes, formulas and equations you enter as you type are instantly solved in Math Notes. In the Journal app, an all-new statistics view helps users keep track of their journaling goals, while the ability to search and sort entries makes it easier to enjoy memories from the past. A Journal widget is now available so users can quickly start an entry from the home or lock screen, audio recordings are automatically transcribed, and users can export and print journal entries.
The calendar will show both events and tasks from Reminders. Users can create, edit and complete reminders directly in Calendar, and the updated Month View provides a quick overview of events and tasks.
In the Health app, Medical ID has been redesigned to make it easier for first responders to find critical information in an emergency.
Emergency SOS live video allows users to share context via streaming video and recorded media. During an emergency call, participating emergency dispatchers can send you a request to share live video or media from your camera via a secure connection, making it easier and faster for you to get help.
The Home app enables guest access, giving users an easy way to give guests control over selected smart home accessories, set schedules for guest access to the home, and more. To make entry into your home easier, hands-free unlocking with home keys uses Ultra Wideband technology to allow users to instantly open supported entry locks as soon as they are six feet from the door. With convenient updates to the Energy category, the Home app makes it easier for authorized users to access, understand and make more informed decisions about their home electricity consumption.
Accessibility updates include eye tracking, a built-in option that lets you navigate iPhone using just your eyes; Music Haptics, a new way for deaf and hard of hearing users to listen to music using the Taptic Engine on iPhone; and vocal shortcuts, which allow users to perform tasks by creating a custom sound.