iOS 18 Beta Available Next Week With These 25 New Features Expected

[MacRumors]

iOS 18 is just days away, with Apple set to unveil the software update during its WWDC keynote on June 10. Many new features and changes are expected for the iPhone, with more details outlined in our rumor recap below.

The first beta of iOS 18 should be made available to members of the Apple Developer Program immediately after the WWDC keynote, and a public beta will likely follow in July. The update should be widely released to all users in September, and it is rumored that it will be compatible with the same list of iPhone models as iOS 17.

Here are some of the key new features and changes rumored or previewed for iOS 18 so far:

• Apple Maps: Custom routes and topographic maps.
• Apple Music: Auto-generated playlists and smarter song transitions.
• Apple News: AI-generated news article summaries.
• Calculator: Several new features, including a sidebar that lists recent calculations, an improved interface for converting units, integration with the Notes app, and more. The app will finally be available on iPads.
• Calendar: Deeper integration with the Reminders app.
• CarPlay: New accessibility features, including Sound Recognition.
• Control Center: Updated interface, including a revamped music widget and improved controls for HomeKit accessories.
• Fitness: The app will be "overhauled" on iOS 18.
• Freeform: A new "Scenes" function.
• Health: New features powered by AI, but no specific details are known yet.
• Home Screen: Place app icons anywhere on the grid and change colors of app icons.
• Keynote and Pages: AI-powered features for auto-generating slides in Keynote, writing faster in Pages, and more.
• Magnifier: A new Reader Mode, and the option to easily launch Detection Mode with the Action button on newer iPhone models.
• Mail: Suggested replies to emails.
• Messages: RCS support, per-word effects, suggested replies, custom emoji, message recaps, and new Tapback icons.
• Notes: A built-in audio recording tool, audio transcriptions, and the ability to display mathematical notation.
  Notifications: AI-generated notification summaries.
• Photos: AI-powered photo retouching.
• Safari: Browsing assistant that can summarize web pages, and a "Web Eraser" tool.
• Settings: A revamped interface with improved search, and new accessibility features.
• Shortcuts: Automate complex tasks more easily.
• Siri: A smarter ChatGPT-inspired version of Siri with more per-app controls (in 2025).
• Spotlight: More intelligent search results and improved sorting.
• Voice Memos: Audio transcriptions.

For even more rumors, read our iOS 18 roundup.

Article Link: iOS 18 Beta Available Next Week With These 25 New Features Expected

 

[ghanwani]

AI, AI, more AI, even more AI. Sadly, I think the biggest success in AI will be with scammers. They are about to get much more sophisticated and tools like voice recognition to infer identity are going to be rendered useless (this includes recording "your" responses on a recorded line). We already know how secure email addresses and phone numbers are. The desperation to release AI and "make hay while the sun shines" will result security holes galore.

 

[Premium1]

Wish they would get with the times and allow push on their mail app for Google.

 

[contacos]

Half of those AI features don’t sound like they would require a „Pro“ exclusive iPhone, especially since 3rd party apps do it just fine already

 

[Hails09]

Oh good I can’t wait
Beta 1 is always the best diving into it to see what new features have been released & then for it to get refined every 2 weeks to September can’t wait.

 

[jz0309]

Is it still worth watching that keynote with all those rumors lately?
I will stay on ios17 longer than usual that is for sure

 

[arthurgd3]

Biggest thing I'm curious about is how well the RCS adoption is going to be between iPhones and Android devices. The pics I take with my Pixel 8 Pro that I send to my wife's 15 Pro come out more blurry than what the actual picture is and her videos sent to me are still small and very blurry so hoping these things get fixed with RCS.

 

[gank41]

And to note, for every year, beta 1 usually rocks and works well. It’s around beta 4-5 that things start going downhill and by then it almost feels too late to restore back 😝

 

[antiprotest]

Wish they would get with the times and allow push on their mail app for Google.

I think that's on Google's end. I remember before Google came out with their Gmail app, the native Mail app on iPhone had push with Gmail. I refer to the period staring from iPhone 3GS or so to I don't know when. Then Google came out with their own app and some time after that push was no longer available on the native app. Google probably stopped supporting it to make people use the Gmail app, but that's just my guess.

 

[KurtWilde]

Wish they would get with the times and allow push on their mail app for Google.

Isn’t that a google caused limitation?

 

[nfl46]

Great. I am looking forward to the improvements.

 

[anakinfan8]

Beta Season is my favorite time of the year! Diving straight into the bugs like a Helldiver

 

[antiprotest]

Because all my devices are Apple, I am rooting for Apple. I want to be pleasantly surprised, but I am prepared to be disappointed. I want the iOS 18 announcement to be a 15/10, but based on recent years, right now I am expecting 2/10. I'd be pleasantly surprised if it ends up somewhere like 5-8/10.

 

[jgbr]

So brave, so exciting, so bold.

Maybe iPad OS will be fixed and given the tools it needs to be a powerhouse.

 

[Ilde]

Hype, hype, but do not forget some bugs pending to be fixed on whateverOS XX.5.x!!!

 

[Realityck]

As already commented Beta 1 usually is the most solid because its been tested more then followup beta 2 where Apple starts to add to tweak new features. Then its been 15 to 17 days later after WWDC release that you see beta 2, then another 14 to 20 days for beta 3 which usually ends up being the first public beta testers release late June into July
some time.

 

[dk001]

Because all my devices are Apple, I am rooting for Apple. I want to be pleasantly surprised, but I am prepared to be disappointed. I want the iOS 18 announcement to be a 15/10, but based on recent years, right now I am expecting 2/10. I'd be pleasantly surprised if it ends up somewhere like 5-8/10.

I have hope. I would like my 15PM to be on par or surpass my S24U instead of lagging behind like it currently does.

 

[Realityck]

So brave, so exciting, so bold.

Maybe iPad OS will be fixed and given the tools it needs to be a powerhouse.

It's got that MIA iPadOS calculator finally. Only took 14 years.

 

[dk001]

As already commented Beta 1 usually is the most solid because its been tested more then followup beta 2 where Apple starts to add to tweak new features. Then its been 15 to 17 days later after WWDC release that you see beta 2, then another 14 to 20 days for beta 3 which usually ends up being the first public beta testers release late June into July
some time.

Make me wonder if they will delay many AI features or let us initially deal with the myriad of AI powered bugs.

 

[Realityck]

No mention of Classical working with CarPlay noted on the list.

 

[Premium1]

Isn’t that a google caused limitation?

Yet it isn't an issue on other apps? Works fine on Spark. Blame Google all you want, but if that was indeed the case, it would be that way on every app (which isn't the case).

 

[NightFox]

It's a sorry day when the highlight of the next iOS version for me is a change to the calculator app.

 

[Premium1]

Half of those AI features don’t sound like they would require a „Pro“ exclusive iPhone, especially since 3rd party apps do it just fine already

Apple will do their best to spin it as to why it only works on the pro devices (and just certain pros) while like you said other apps can do it on any phone.

 

[lkrupp]

Biggest thing I'm curious about is how well the RCS adoption is going to be between iPhones and Android devices. The pics I take with my Pixel 8 Pro that I send to my wife's 15 Pro come out more blurry than what the actual picture is and her videos sent to me are still small and very blurry so hoping these things get fixed with RCS.

So just get rid of your Pixel and move to iPhone so you and your wife can enjoy things without issues.

 

[SkimPappa]

Biggest thing I'm curious about is how well the RCS adoption is going to be between iPhones and Android devices. The pics I take with my Pixel 8 Pro that I send to my wife's 15 Pro come out more blurry than what the actual picture is and her videos sent to me are still small and very blurry so hoping these things get fixed with RCS.

Do you have low image quality mode on? Settings- messages- scroll to bottom