Apple has just released iOS 18, the latest update for iPhones, and it’s packed with exciting new features. While much of the craze has been around upcoming AI capabilities, these won’t be available until iOS 18.1 later this year.
For now, iOS 18 focuses on enhancing user personalization and privacy, making it a major update for iPhone users.
Personalization at Your Fingertips
One of the standout features of iOS 18 is the revamped Home Screen. Users can now customize their app icons, placing them anywhere on the grid and even enlarging them to hide text labels.
This change, a nod to the custom icon trend that began with iOS 14, allows for more personalized Home Screens. This feature is expected to be especially popular among Gen Z users who value customization.
In addition to customizable icons, iOS 18 introduces a major overhaul to the Control Center. The new Control Center has four pages dedicated to favorites, music controls, home functions, and connectivity options like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Users can now add or remove pages and icons, tailoring the Control Center to their needs.
Enhanced Privacy Features
Privacy continues to be a major focus. iOS 18 now lets users lock apps with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. These apps can be hidden from the Home Screen and only accessed via a new hidden app folder in the App Library.
Redesigned Photos App
The Photos app has also received a major redesign. The bottom tabs have been removed in favor of a single-page design aimed at making photo browsing easier.
Users will now find albums and new collection folders like Recent Days, People & Pets, and Trips. Despite the update aiming to enhance user experience, some users have found the new design a bit difficult to navigate.
Improved Communication
iOS 18 adds support for Rich Communication Services (RCS), an upgrade from traditional SMS. This means that iPhone users will now receive high-quality media and typing indicators from Android users, though messages will still appear as green bubbles.
This feature aims to bridge the communication gap between iPhone and Android users.
Upgraded Phone App and More
The Phone app has been updated to make searching through call logs and using the number pad easier. Users can now switch between SIM cards during calls and enjoy live voicemail transcription in several new languages.
Additionally, a new Passwords app has been introduced, offering a central location for managing passwords, which could be a convenient option for users who don’t already use a third-party password manager.
Looking Ahead
While iOS 18 introduces many new features, Apple’s AI capabilities will be added in iOS 18.1, starting with the U.S. and expanding globally over time.
This update promises advanced AI tools, including writing aids, notification summaries, and photo clean-up features. However, these will only be available on newer models like the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 series.
