iOS 18 Rumor Recap: Over 20 New Features to Expect as WWDC Nears

[MacRumors]

iOS 18 is just around the corner, with Apple set to unveil the software update during its WWDC keynote next month. Below, we recap new features and changes rumored for iOS 18, which is projected to be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history.

iOS 18 is rumored to include new AI features for Siri and many apps, and Apple plans to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience between iPhones and Android devices. The update is also expected to introduce a more customizable Home Screen and other user interface design changes, new features in apps like Apple Maps and Calculator, additional accessibility features, and much more.

WWDC 2024 will begin with Apple's keynote on June 10 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, and the iOS 18 beta should be made available to members of the Apple Developer Program immediately following the presentation. A public beta is typically released in July, and the update should be widely released to all users in September.

For additional information, read our iOS 18 roundup.

Smarter Siri and Generative AI

iOS 18 is rumored to have new AI features for Siri, Spotlight, Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Health, Numbers, Pages, Keynote, and more, according to sources such as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and The Information's Wayne Ma.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly teased that the company is working on generative AI, and plans to share details "later this year," and Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak also hinted at AI in a social media post about WWDC 2024.

Generative AI surged in popularity in late 2022, when OpenAI released ChatGPT, a chatbot that can respond to questions and other text prompts. The company has also expanded into generative AI tools for images and videos. Other companies like Google and Microsoft have also pushed into the generative AI space, and the technology is quickly evolving.

iOS 18 is not expected to include an Apple-designed chatbot, but a partnership with OpenAI will reportedly be announced at WWDC.

More Customizable Home Screen

iOS 18 will feature a "more customizable" Home Screen, according to Gurman.

MacRumors exclusively reported that iOS 18 will finally allow users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid. This means that users will be able to create blank spaces, columns, and rows between app icons. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones, and now Apple is bringing it to the iPhone.

iPhone users can already customize the Home Screen with apps such as Shortcuts and Widgetsmith, which can be used to create "blank" app icons and widgets, but Apple's official solution will be much more convenient.

It was also reported that iOS 18 will allow users to change the color of app icons.

New Accessibility Features

Earlier this month, Apple previewed many new accessibility features coming later this year with software updates like iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, and visionOS 2. The announcement came one day ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

Some of the new features coming to the iPhone include Eye Tracking, Vehicle Motion Cues, Music Haptics, and Vocal Shortcuts. CarPlay will also be getting more accessibility features with iOS 18, including Sound Recognition, which will allow drivers or passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing to turn on alerts to be notified of car horns and sirens.

New Apple Maps Features

MacRumors previously revealed two potential new Apple Maps features coming with iOS 18: custom routes and topographic maps.

With the custom routes feature, Apple Maps users would be able to choose specific roads to travel on while navigating, for reasons such as familiarity or scenic views. This feature is expected to be available in the U.S. only at launch. Google Maps already allows users to create custom routes on the web, and then view them on an iPhone.

Topographic maps first debuted on the Apple Watch last year with watchOS 10, and code suggests that the feature will be expanded to the iPhone, Mac, and Vision Pro with iOS 18, macOS 15, and visionOS 2. These maps include details such as trails, contour lines, elevation, and points of interest for hiking and other outdoor uses.

RCS Support in Messages App

In November, 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... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: iOS 18 Rumor Recap: Over 20 New Features to Expect as WWDC Nears

 

[bigpoppa]

Can’t wait to try out the new features.

 

[frost_horizon]

Hopefully they will update the Journal app. It so featureless and bland that I wasn’t able to use it.

 

[GMShadow]

I'm sure Google will still complain about Apple's RCS implementation because Apple is using the standard, not Google's tracking infested and generally damaged version.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Hopefully they will update the Journal app. It so featureless and bland that I wasn’t able to use it.

and it doesn't sync to other devices.

 

[uacd]

I want UI overhaul. They said “skeuomorphism is dead” 12 years ago. And now what? Minimalism proved to be trash that any kid can draw in PS. Nowadays one can barely see design language differences between Windows 11 and macOS

 

[dogolaca]

Any rumors on Auracast or other Bluetooth Low Energy Audio implementation?

 

[Macisawesome]

I want UI overhaul. They said “skeuomorphism is dead” 12 years ago. And now what? Minimalism proved to be trash that any kid can draw in PS. Nowadays one can barely see design language differences between Windows 11 and macOS

Dude it’s a phone chill out.

 

[currentinterest]

This all sounds exciting and I’m sure there will be many many more features left to be described. This is going to be a fun Keynote.

 

[Chrjy]

These are just rumours of course and I’ll be interested to see what Apple announces but I can’t help but feel they are playing catchup. If this is all they have to offer at WWDC then it will be pretty lame. Sometimes I can’t help but feel Apple (Tim Cook) would be better off under promising and over delivering rather than shouting how amazing, wonderful and ground breaking the new announcements will be.
If they really want to focus on accessibility how about building in AI that allows something like a voice enabled ChatGPT system. That would benefit everyone not just those who require accessibility options.
I think being able to interact with my device just through speech (without having to worry how I say something) and it delivering detailed feedback would be amazing. AI that truly understands conversational voice chat like ChatGPT would be game changing on a mobile device. Yet I could still interact just through a keyboard if I wanted.

 

[uacd]

Dude it’s a phone chill out.

We should get back to Nokia 3310 then. It’s a phone after all, yes /s

 

[Populus]

Is the article text in the forum view shorter than on the front page?

Aside from that, and regarding iOS 18, I’m really excited because this looks like a really big update: moving the screen/cursor with the eyes, a more intelligent Siri, tons of ML new features, more customizable Home Screen…

Let’s hope they are efficient at fixing the ton of bugs that are coming with such big code changes.

 

[TechGod]

I want UI overhaul. They said “skeuomorphism is dead” 12 years ago. And now what? Minimalism proved to be trash that any kid can draw in PS. Nowadays one can barely see design language differences between Windows 11 and macOS

Lol what? It is not trash. New iOS versions look great and I for one do not want a UI overhaul for now.

 

[NMBob]

21. More bugs for all. They will probably be designed by AI now.

 

[miamialley]

Get we just get app notifications that don’t disappear from the lock screen on their own?

 

[klasma]

Dude it’s a phone chill out.

It’s the only user interface for many people to their digital life, which has become an increasingly larger part of life in general. Also iPads.

 

[klasma]

Is the article text in the forum view shorter than on the front page?

Yes, the forum copy has limited length, and those articles have a Click here to read rest of article link at the end.

 

[klasma]

Get we just get app notifications that don’t disappear from the lock screen on their own?

And a notification history with search.

 

[anthlis]

Ah well, at least none of these features will be available outside of the US.
On the flip side, maybe their associated bugs won't be either?

 

[AusMness]

ooo the hype is brewing

 

[kirky29]

Probably no number row on the keyboard though 🙄

 

[Jamie0003]

Another year, another update where HomeKit is completely forgotten. Why Apple? AI in the home could be INCREDIBLE

 

[v3rlon]

I would like to be able to easily include something about toll roads in maps with Siri.

'Siri, I need directions to work, avoiding tolls unless it saves me at least 15 minutes,' would be great.

'Siri, I need directions to work, avoiding tolls,' (or using tolls) would do.

Also, 'Siri, how much faster would this be using toll roads?'

 

[paulovsouza]

I’m really hoping dor a Vision Pro like OS revamp. More glass and floating like. With eye tracking they could make perspective floating icons (kinda like iOS 7 when it launched).

 

[v3rlon]

Another year, another update where HomeKit is completely forgotten. Why Apple? AI in the home could be INCREDIBLE

What do you need that it doesn't already do? I am asking seriously. I am yet to see a coffee machine smart enough to make the fancy thing my wife drinks off a voice command (and wouldn't leave the milk out all day anyway).