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iOS 18: All the Rumors and New Features Expected So Far

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iOS 18 is still months away from being unveiled, but there are already rumors and expectations for the software update, as outlined below.

iOS-18-Mock-Feature-Baubles.jpg

iOS 18 is rumored to include new ChatGPT-like generative AI features for Siri and several built-in Apple apps. The update is expected to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience with Android users. A sketchy rumor claimed that iOS 18 will also have some visionOS-inspired design changes.

iOS 18 will be announced at Apple's annual developers conference WWDC in June, and the update will be released to all users in September.

Generative AI and Smarter Siri

iOS-18-Mock-Siri-Feature-Baubles.jpg

iOS 18 is rumored to have new generative AI features for Siri, Shortcuts, Messages, Apple Music, Pages, and more. On a February 2024 earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company was working on generative AI and would share details "later this year."

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said generative AI "should improve how both Siri and the Messages app can field questions and auto-complete sentences." The Information's Wayne Ma said Apple would incorporate large language models into Siri to let users automate complex tasks, a feature that would involve deeper integration with the Shortcuts app.

Generative AI surged in popularity in 2022 after OpenAI released ChatGPT, a chatbot that can respond to questions and other prompts. Google, Microsoft, and other companies have also released similar chatbots and tools, including ones that can automatically generate images, respond to voice queries, and more.

Some generative AI features might be exclusive to iPhone 16 models, which are rumored to have a Neural Engine with "significantly" more cores.

RCS Support in Messages App

General-Apps-Messages.jpg

In November 2023, Apple announced that it would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting "later" in 2024, so it will likely be an iOS 18 feature based on that timeframe.

RCS support should result in the following improvements to the default messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices:
  • Higher-resolution photos and videos
  • Audio messages
  • Typing indicators
  • Read receipts
  • Wi-Fi messaging between iPhones and Android devices
  • Improved group chats, including the ability for iPhone users to leave a conversation that includes Android users
  • Improved encryption compared to SMS
These modern features are already available for iPhone-to-iPhone conversations with blue bubbles, via iMessage, and many of the features are also available in third-party messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Telegram. RCS support on the iPhone will extend the features to green bubbles in the Messages app.

Biggest iOS Update Ever?

iOS-18-Mock-iPhone-16-Feature-Gray.jpg

Apple believes iOS 18 has the potential to be the "biggest" software update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

"I'm told that the new operating system is seen within the company as one of the biggest iOS updates — if not the biggest — in the company's history," he wrote, in a January 2024 edition of his Power On newsletter.

visionOS-Inspired Design Changes?

visionOS-design.jpeg

iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will feature visionOS-inspired design elements, according to a rumor shared by Israeli website The Verifier.

For example, the report claimed that the Apple TV app on iPadOS 18 will feature the same translucent navigation bar that was introduced in the tvOS 17.2 version of the app in 2023. The design of this menu draws similarities to visionOS, the operating system that runs on Apple's new Vision Pro mixed reality headset.

Apple also plans to redesign various other system menus and built-in apps on iOS 18, including Safari, according to the report.

The Verifier has a mixed track record with Apple rumors over the years, so this latest rumor should be treated with some skepticism.

More Details

For additional information, read our iOS 18 roundup.

Article Link: iOS 18: All the Rumors and New Features Expected So Far
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/02/15/ios-18-features-and-rumors/
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MacRumors said:
Apple believes iOS 18 has the potential to be the "biggest" software update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Click to expand...
On one hand, I was thinking "wait, so better Siri + RCS + generative AI makes for one of the largest iOS updates ever?" Especially considering how little generative AI has added to other phones, like the Google Pixel or the Samsung Galaxy S24, where it's little more than a cute gimmick for editing photos and making goofy wallpapers? 🤔

...but then I remember how underwhelming the last few years of iOS updates have been. Yeah, the bar is extremely low when it comes to huge, drastic updates... even a mildly interesting feature would feel like a big deal. 😅

(seriously I had to look at Wikipedia to even remember what iOS 16 and 17 added)
 
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Bring back the iOS 6 look... And optimize the code so older models would still be usable after the iOS upgrade...

A5 devices [iPhone 4s, iPod touch 5, iPad 2, iPad 3] got destroyed by iOS 9 and never recovered...
 
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coffeemilktea said:
On one hand, I was thinking "wait, so better Siri + RCS + generative AI makes for one of the largest iOS updates ever?" Especially considering how little generative AI has added to other phones, like the Google Pixel or the Samsung Galaxy S24, where it's little more than a cute gimmick for editing photos and making goofy wallpapers? 🤔

...but then I remember how underwhelming the last few years of iOS updates have been. Yeah, the bar is extremely low when it comes to huge, drastic updates... even a mildly interesting feature would feel like a big deal. 😅

(seriously I had to look at Wikipedia to even remember what iOS 16 and 17 added)
Click to expand...
Yeah, I feel like they keep saying that with every few updates, much like how they keep calling each new iPhone "the best iPhone we've ever made"

As for AI, while the potential it has is nothing to scoff at, I surely do hope that it's more than what we're seeing as pretty gimmicky things in being able to manipulate photos more and all. Siri is and has been in dire need of an overhaul for a LOOOOOONG time. The fact that not much about it has changed in recent years while the other assistants are leaps and bounds ahead of it just baffles me.

RCS will be much needed too; in a few groups I'm in where not everyone has iPhones, it's so annoying that whenever one of the Android folk in it reacts to a message, it'll send out a whole message saying "[person] reacted to your message [message] with [emoji]" instead of just showing the little tapback thing like it does for iMessage. Along with that, whenever sends a photo/video, it's so compressed to hell that it's borderline unviewable/unwatchable.
 
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I’m actually so sick of hearing about ai, we need changes to how we use the phone like split screen etc Siri will always be bad
 
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While I'm ready for a smarter Siri, and do think it's important they get Siri way more functional, history makes me think that even if Siri will be "smarter," it will be very incremental. Big wow features in iOS is typically not how Apple rolls. They trickle. Their userbase is so large, the number of devices so diverse, that they have to be a bit more reserved when it comes to rolling out new features. If iOS 18 is anything more than a trickle, I will be pleasantly surprised. And I am open to being surprised. Bring it. No, for real this time. Thanks.
 
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mrfunnypenguin said:
Would really love a design change. It has not changed very much since 2013.
Click to expand...

People say that, but when is the last time you used iOS 7? I have it on a 5S and it's stark going back to see all the little tweaks and optimizations that are missing.
 
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speaking for myself:
. don't need/want genAI
. don't use Siri
. RCS will be nice, but I don't need it
. UI changes will be nice

missing: toggles to turn certain features on/off

Unless I'm getting a 16PM, I might not update my 13PM to ios18
 
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Ai by Apple would be "extremely safe and cautious". Imagine if Siri generates a non-political correct image.
You can guess the media roaring "Innocent boy shocked by nude image created on iPhone".
Same goes for text and for things that you can ask about.

My expectations are really low on how far Apple will go on the Ai implementation, and I also believe that Apple is doing it just to not be behind the competition. Not that they are interested or that even most of their users would enjoy a real advantage for have Ai on their devices.
 
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coffeemilktea said:
On one hand, I was thinking "wait, so better Siri + RCS + generative AI makes for one of the largest iOS updates ever?" Especially considering how little generative AI has added to other phones, like the Google Pixel or the Samsung Galaxy S24, where it's little more than a cute gimmick for editing photos and making goofy wallpapers? 🤔

...but then I remember how underwhelming the last few years of iOS updates have been. Yeah, the bar is extremely low when it comes to huge, drastic updates... even a mildly interesting feature would feel like a big deal. 😅

(seriously I had to look at Wikipedia to even remember what iOS 16 and 17 added)
Click to expand...
Yeah, I usually only remember a handful of features. From iOS 17 for instance, and without checking Wikipedia, I only remember the “improved” text input, helped by generative transformer models, interactive widgets, and the personal posters.

From iOS 16, the new Lock Screen. And the new external display support for iPadOS on M1/M2 devices.

From iOS 15 or 14… honestly, at this point I don’t remember anything. And from iOS 13 only the dark mode.
 
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Just please make App Library smarter. I have so many Utilities under Productivity & Finance. And the category Information & Reading is a mess of things that I don't consider either: Pocket Casts, Audible, Weather. Ideally, I would want to be able to categorize/tag my own apps, create categories, rename the apps with nicknames for my usage, etc. But if you could make the category sort work properly or give me a toggle to make alpha-sort the default, I would be happy.
 
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Every year for the last 10 has been these so called speculative post about it being the biggest iOS release since iOS 7 yet it’s always a damp squid
 
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