Apple has officially announced iOS 18, the upcoming major update for the iPhone, bringing a host of new features and improvements aimed at enhancing customization, usability, and connectivity.
One of the most notable updates in iOS 18 is the enhanced customization options for the Home Screen. Users can now apply Dark Mode to app icons and tint them with various colors to create a unique look. Additionally, apps can be freely positioned anywhere on the Home Screen, offering more flexibility in layout design.
The Control Center has been completely redesigned, providing a highly customizable experience with a new gallery. Developers can now include tools for their apps within the Control Center, and users can swipe continuously to access different screens. The Lock Screen controls have also been updated for greater customization.
Messages has seen significant updates as well, with redesigned tapbacks that allow reactions with any emoji. Users can now schedule messages to be sent later and format text with options like bold, italics, underlining, and strikethrough. New text effects offer ways to emphasize important words and phrases with automatic suggestions. The app also supports satellite connectivity, enabling message sending and receiving in remote areas.
In the Mail app, emails are now automatically sorted into categories to help prioritize important messages. The Maps app has introduced new topographical maps featuring trail networks and hiking routes, enhancing outdoor navigation capabilities. In the Wallet app, a new Tap to Cash feature allows users to send money simply by holding two iPhones together.
The Photos app has been completely overhauled in iOS 18. It now features a unified interface with a photo grid at the top displaying the entire library, and themed collections organized below. Users can navigate through Months and Years views, apply filters to hide screenshots, and sort photos in various ways. Collections can be browsed by topics such as Time, People, Memories, and Trips, while the Recent Days section automatically filters out non-essential images like receipts. A new carousel with Featured Photos and favorite collections refreshes to highlight new images.
Security has been enhanced with the ability to lock apps using authentication, which also hides information from Search and Siri. Additionally, iOS 18 introduces a more seamless method for connecting accessories, improving the overall user experience.
iOS 18 also brings support for RCS messaging to the iPhone, larger Home Screen icons, and integration of Reminders within the calendar. Gamers will benefit from the new Game Mode, which minimizes background activity to maintain high frame rates and ensures more responsive connections to AirPods and wireless game controllers.
The developer beta of iOS 18 is available starting today, with a public beta expected in July and an official release to the public planned for the fall.
