iOS 17 was a hit with a slew of new features such as StandBy mode, Live Stickers, NameDrop, etc. So, all iPhone users are hyped up for upcoming iOS 18 features. While Apple hasn’t said anything, iOS 18 rumors have begun to surface on the internet.
According to sources, Apple may introduce generative AI features, following the steps of Google and Samsung. Besides, iOS 18 may get RCS support for a better messaging experience. Experts have made many more leaks and speculations. Here, I have gathered all the rumored and expected features of iOS 18, along with the supported devices and release date.
When will iOS 18 be released?
iOS 18 will be released during WWDC 2024, which will be held from June 10-14. Next, a developer beta will be published to developers the same day, and a public beta will be released in July.
Once announced, iOS 18 will be available to the public in September 2024, following the release of the iPhone 16 series. Apple has not revealed anything regarding WWDC, the iPhone 16 series, or iOS 18, so this is purely speculation based on a decade’s history.
Which iPhones will support iOS 18?
Apple provides updates for up to five years and can even extend to six if the iPhone’s hardware can handle the latest software updates. However, with the iOS 17 update, Apple dropped support for the iPhone 8 series and iPhone X.
Following the same trend, you can expect it to drop a few more devices with iOS 18 update. Again, these are speculations from Apple’s update history with iOS. As a result, you can assume which device will iOS 18 support.
Here’s a list of devices that you can expect iOS 18 to support when announced at WWDC 2024:
- iPhone 16 series
- iPhone 15 series
- iPhone 14 series
- iPhone SE 2022 (3rd generation)
- iPhone 13 series
- iPhone 12 series
- iPhone SE 2020 (2nd generation)
- iPhone 11 series
Although the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max received the iOS 17 update, they were released in 2018, meaning they’re over six years old. As a result, Apple might not update them to iOS 18 since their hardware may not handle it.
Besides, considering your budget, if you’re using an iPhone XR/XS or XS Max, I think upgrading to the iPhone 15 or 16 series would be better.
iOS 18 expected features
iOS 16 and iOS 17 weren’t a complete revamp, but they introduced a new set of features that focused on customization. According to insiders, iOS 18 will not follow the same iterations and bring a major overhaul to the iPhone interface.
A Bloomberg report states that Apple has delayed iOS 18’s production by a week to squash bugs and provide a stable base for iOS 18. However, I believe this won’t affect the feature development or release of iOS 18 in any way.
The details of iOS 18 are currently limited since it’s early. In January, Mark Gurman posted on X, “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.”
If that sparks joy already for you, the expected features of iOS 18 will amplify it tenfold. So, here is everything you can expect from iOS 18:
1. AI-enhanced Siri
Since its release in 2011, Siri has evolved with each iOS version. According to Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to revamp Siri with a new AI, incorporating Ajax-based LLM (Large Language Model) technology.
As a result, it’ll improve how Siri works with the Messages app, allowing you to field questions and auto-complete your sentences. Besides, a few iOS 18 rumors suggest you can have a more personalized and natural conversation with Siri.
Also, to maintain the context, Siri may store the conversation information and sync it from one device to another. According to The Information, Apple is combining Siri and the Shortcuts app. Hence, you will be able to automate complex multi-step tasks with a single command.
2. Generative AI integration
AI took the internet by storm in 2023, and Apple is looking to hop on the same boat with iOS 18. Multiple rumors state that Apple will build its own AI chatbot for iOS 18 and is preparing servers to handle the AI workload.
In a report from TheVerge, Tim Cook mentioned during Apple’s quarterly earnings call that Apple is working on generative AI software features that will be available to customers by the end of the year. This perfectly aligns with Mark Gurman and other analysts’ statements.
“Let me just say that I think there’s a huge opportunity for Apple with generative AI and with AI, without getting into many more details or getting ahead of myself,” Tim Cook added later.
AI in iOS 18 will welcome new changes to the operating system, such as Siri becoming more intelligent, Apple Music auto-generating playlists, and iWork apps (Pages, Keynote, and Numbers) offering AI-assisted writing and slide deck creation.
Also, generative AI in Xcode can help write code quickly for developers. However, experts estimate that the on-device processed advanced AI functions may be confined to the iPhone 16 models, as they will have more powerful SoCs.
These are speculations; there’s no guarantee that Apple will incorporate everything in iOS 18. Some features can launch with iOS 18 by the end of the year, while Apple could keep others for later versions. It’s because building full-fledged AI servers will take time.
3. More customizable Home Screen
Previously, iOS 17 offered several options for customizing the Lock Screen on iPhones. With iOS 18, Apple is expected to redesign the control center and allow customizing the Home Screen grid.
According to Mark Gurman, users may be able to freely move app icons anywhere on the Home Screen and even leave a space between two icons in iOS 18. However, experts believe Apple may implement an invisible grid system on the Home Screen to maintain uniformity between app icons and widgets.
Also, some sketchy rumors reported by MacRumors suggest that the iOS 18 design layout may bring a transparent user interface with circular icons similar to VisionOS.
As we are expecting a revamped design in iOS 18, till then, deck up your iPhone with the latest WWDC 2024 wallpapers.
4. New Accessibility features
Introducing new Accessibility features has become standard at WWDC. This year, Apple is rumored to develop a new Adaptive Voice Shortcuts feature for iOS 18 and macOS 15. MacRumors‘ report suggests that users may be able to create a custom voice command to activate any accessibility features.
Users can further organize these commands using Live Speech‘s new custom categories. Besides, more native apps are expected to support customized text sizes.
5. RCS Support for better texting with Android users
In October 2023, Apple confirmed that it’ll bring RCS support to the iPhones with a software update in 2024. RCS (Rich Communication Services) is a texting protocol used by messaging apps on Android. Think of it as a successor to SMS and MMS.
In a statement to 9to5Mac, Apple said, “We believe RCS Universal Profile will offer a better interoperability experience when compared to SMS or MMS. It’ll work alongside iMessage, which will continue to be the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users.”
In other words, Apple will adopt the RCS standard in iMessage to support texting to Android users. Moreover, it’ll add real-time typing indicators and read receipts when texting Android users. Also, you may easily send higher-resolution photos, videos, and larger files to Android.
Besides, the RCS support will offer audio messaging, cross-platform emoji reactions, and sending messages over cellular or Wi-Fi. Hence, there will be no more errors while chatting with an Android user. And yes, the blue vs. green bubble will keep them divided like it currently exists.
It’s primarily due to EU regulations, which led Apple to adopt USB-C with the iPhone 15 series. On the other hand, Google is pushing Apple towards RCS with its #GetTheMessage trend.
6. Web browsers without WebKit
Apple has always pushed WebKit on other browsers, leading to less or almost no difference when using different browsers. While there’s an option to change the default browser on iPhone, it’s still built on WebKit.
With iOS 17.4, Apple has allowed other browsers to drop WebKit and use the same rendering engine used in their desktop counterparts. Google and Mozilla have announced that they’re working on new iOS browsers.
The Google Chromium team is ready to port Blink to iOS, which will result in the adoption of Google Chrome and other browsers, such as Microsoft Edge, Arc, Opera, Brave, etc. Mozilla is going with Gecko, similar to what you see on its desktop browser.
Since it’s a rendering engine overhaul, it might take some time for the new browsers to be released to the public and for other Chromium-based browsers to adapt. You can expect these browsers around June 2024 or a bit earlier.
EU is regulating and forcing Apple to make changes to iOS. You can see the results since iOS 17.4 beta asks you to choose a default browser when setting up your iPhone. It’s a welcoming change and a step in the right direction to end Safari’s monopoly in iOS.
What are you expecting from iOS 18?
iOS is an evolving operating system, and AI throughout the OS is an excellent addition. Furthermore, since it’s a big update, you can expect iOS to go on a complete revamp this year.
However, iOS lacks features like T9 dialing, split screen support, and more, so you might just keep waiting. What features are you expecting with iOS 18? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
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