iOS 18: A Comprehensive Look at Apple's Latest Mobile Operating System

iOS 18 Review (iPhone 15): No AI for the Rest of Us

Apple has finally released the final version of their most recent update - iOS 18. As always, the company touts this version as their biggest update to iPhones. While I agree to that for iOS in general, I'm not exactly sure if that's the case for the majority of us. Having tested the update since it came out in Developer Beta and then moving to the Public beta, here's my review of iOS 18, running on an iPhone 15. With iOS 18, Apple's primary focus has been customization and as soon as you update to the latest version, that's the first thing you'll notice. So, let's start with that first and move on to the rest. To help iPhone users personalize their home screen set up better, Apple has taken a step from Android's playbook and has finally allowed deeper customization options. You can now drag and move apps to any part of your home screen without using blank icons like before. This could please people who are peculiar about how a background appears on their home screen. To add to this, app icons now have a Dark setting which applies dark mode with black backgrounds on all icons on the home screen, Spotlight, and App Library. Apple has one-upped this feature by introducing a "Tinted" option. What it essentially does is let you apply a desired color of your wallpaper as the highlight color on icons and widgets. Sort of like "Themed icons" that were introduced in Android 12. I like this inclusion but it needs refinements since tweaking the right color of tint for a particular background can take an eternity. Perhaps, my favorite home screen feature now is the ability to bump up icons to a larger size which in turn hides app and widget names from the home screen. For years, I've yearned long for this feature as it makes my main screen look minimal and appealing. Since I don't often change my home screen setup, I have no use for text labels under home screen items anyway. Another minor feature is that you can now switch an app's icon to its widget or vice versa. Just long-press on an app/widget and choosing a desired option from the overflow menu. This will only work on apps that support widgets. You can also use this method to resize widgets on the Today View screen. It isn't just the home screen that benefits from this freedom of customization, the iOS lock screen also gets one major upgrade. You can now remove the Camera and Flashlight controls from the lock screen and replace it with other controls, shortcuts, or even apps. If you're a minimalist, you can simply keep the bottom corners free of any controls as well. Lastly, there's now a "Dynamic" wallpaper that works just like on a Mac. It cycles through different iOS 18 wallpapers at different times of the day and changes appearance between Light Mode and Dark Mode. For years, Apple has preserved the look of the Control Center. So the one, you may see on your iPhone now, wouldn't be much different to how it was on iOS 11. Not anymore, though. With iOS 18, my version of Control Center may be something entirely different from yours. That's cause, Apple now lets you customize the Control Center by removing any of the controls from this page and adding any number of controls (with no upward limit). So, I no longer have to deal with the squircle box of network controls, as I can replace them with individual icons instead. Control Center now offers a more homescreen-like experience with multipage controls. If a single page of controls doesn't do the job, I can add more pages with different controls and resize them to my preferred appearance. Being a minimalist, the new Control Center is one of my favorite iOS 18 features. With a bit of tweaking here and there, I've managed to set it up the way I want it. It's also now easy to set up. I can access all the controls directly from the edit screen instead of navigating to Settings > Control Center which was such a hassle until now. Phones are personal to us, and you won't want anyone else to access your private messages, photos, or apps you use. With iOS 18, I can either lock apps with Face ID (or Touch ID or device passcode) to prevent others from opening it or hide them to conceal its presence from my iPhone. All I need to do is long-press on an app I want to secure and select Require Face ID. You can either choose to just lock an app with Require Face ID or use the Hide and Require Face ID option to conceal the app away from the home screen. The apps I hide will then only be accessible from App Library > Hidden Apps. To secure my privacy, iOS will restrict incoming messages from the locked/hidden apps and any content inside the said apps won't be indexed by Spotlight. There's a new app on iOS 18, and I'm glad it's finally here. For years, I've relied on Apple's iCloud Keychain to store and access passwords. And the only way to do that until iOS 17 was by using the Settings app. I even had a custom shortcut that took me directly to the Passwords screen, without needing to navigate inside Settings every time. With iOS 18, the new Passwords app is here. From the get-go, it looks a lot like the Reminders app. There are boxes with colorful icons that will let you access your passwords, passkeys, codes, Wi-Fi passwords, security recommendations, and deleted passwords. The app also offers easier ways to copy exactly a password/username or share it someone via AirDrop. Among app-based updates, Messages is getting a handful of improvements. I can now schedule messages for later, send playful-looking texts with rich text formatting and animations. Message Tapbacks are a welcome addition, as it lets me use emojis and stickers as reaction. The biggest change here is support for RCS messaging, which means my friends on the Android side of things can also view read receipts, typing indicators, and send large-size media files. Unless Messages, the Phone app hasn't recieved any major updates barring a new T9 Dialer. Yes, you read that right! Your iPhone will let you dial your friends directly from the keypad, like the old days. I can now use single key presses on numbers corresponding to the letters of someone's name to get their contact as a suggestion. It's the easiest way to search contacts I want to call. So, I no longer need to search for their name manually inside the Contacts tab. There's a guide we've already prepared to help you use iPhone's T9 Dialer on iOS 18. Nothing is ever perfect and so is iOS 18. While it brings a lot we wanted to see on our iPhones, there are some features I think are half-baked and not up to the mark. Now, you might have wondered why I didn't mention the redesigned Photos app earlier. There's a reason why. With iOS 18, Apple has changed the UI significantly inside the app, to the point where I see more stuff on the same page than I ever wanted. The company's aim here is that the single-page layout will help me rediscover my old memories. But is it what people really want to see? I doubt it. This particular redesign goes against Apple's conventional approach - laying out items into categorized tabs that are easy enough to access. Having grown used to the same app for years, I, for one, am having a hard time finding certain items. Albums like "Favorites" which were easily accessible inside Albums > Favorites (until iOS 17), are now hidden under a slew of random albums. So, I had to mark it as a Pinned Album, to access it easily. Similarly, sections like "Utilities" are now burried further down this scrollable page. So instead of getting to section directly from their respective tabs, I now have to scroll through a pile of "smart" memories to the specific section to find them. For someone like me, this whole experience is a mess, a consequence of making too many unneccessary changes. Fortunately, Apple does offer a way to avoid interacting with unwanted elements from the Photos app. When you scroll down to the bottom of the app, you'll see a Customize & Reorder option which lets you hide certain section or collections from the main view. The tool also allows rearranging these sections the way you want, so at least there's a way out. Okay, here me out. The new Control Center on iOS 18 is great and I love how I can tweak it the way I want. It's the first thing I did when I installed the update. With so much freedom, I could remove the controls I never needed and replaced them with shortcuts and some new controls. But as you start tweaking, you may reach a point of no going back and you'll end up with a page that's no longer useful to your needs. This is where I think the new Control Center needs some refinements. For starters, it lacks a "Reset" option that lets you switch to the default layout. Being tech-savvy, it's easy for me to find a way to manually switch to the older layout. But that may not be the case for everyone. So the only way one would get to reset the Control Center to the default look is by resetting all of their iPhone settings. Another issue I faced when rearranging controls is that moving one of the tiles to a different location, randomly changes the location of other controls. So, it needs vigorous alterations from my end to make even the slight changes to the order of controls on the screen. I'm glad that the Messages app on iOS finally offers message scheduling. But its implementation has been quite frustrating. Android users would know how easy it is to schedule messages on Google Messages. Just typing a message and long-pressing the Send button would let you schedule it at a particular date and time. Unfortunately, Apple is yet to figure this out. On iOS 18, you need to first locate the "Send Later" option from the + menu, choose a date and time, and then type the message you want to send out. The process is, thus, not streamlined at the moment. Plus, there's a major limitation to how long you can schedule it for. You can only draft a message to go out 2 weeks in advance, not beyond that. As you can see in this screenshot, the dates beyond the 2-week mark are greyed out, thus unavailable for selection. Other messaging apps offer scheduling for months ahead, even a year. So, this kind of restriction puts Messages at a majot disadvantage. One thing I'd like to point out from Apple's WWDC event earlier this year is that the company segmented the keynote into two different demonstrations. One involved all the non-AI features of iOS 18 and the other introduced the world to Apple Intelligence. And this has pretty much been the theme with the beta updates we've seen so far. The first few betas were focused on the core iOS 18 features, with no kind of AI to speak of. In the latter part of testing, the company revealed the first set of Apple Intelligence features, via iOS 18.1 beta. But, sadly, most of us won't even get a taste of it because the company has limited its availability. If you check this list of supported Apple Intelligence devices, you would find that only the iPhone 16 and the Pro models of last year's iPhones are getting it. So, not even the iPhone 15 (or 15 Plus) gets the any form of AI built inside iOS 18. But do I miss it? To help me clear this doubt, I spoke to my fellow co-worker, Anmol. Having tested out Apple Intelligence via the last couple of betas, he's been quite impressed with what it's capable of. Writing Tools, for one, has been beneficial in rewriting texts and changing the overall tone. Notification Summaries, for him, has been a game changer as it uses AI to intelligently prioritize and summarize the most important notifications at the top. Apple offers a new Call Recording feature on iOS 18 which works differently based on the device you own. If you have the iPhone 15/Plus or an older model, you'll be able to record phone calls and save transcriptions on the Notes app. But on iPhone 15 Pro and newer models, this feature is accompanied by AI summaries, offering an easier way to revisit important calls and check if you've missed anything. Then, there's the new Siri. With iOS 18, everyone's favorite (coughs!) digital assistant is getting the biggest makeover in years. The animated circle at the bottom is getting replaced by a pinkish-purple haze around the edges, making it more obvious that you're interacting with Siri. The new Siri is also capable of richer understanding and context awareness, thanks to AI. But, as you guessed it, the new Siri is part of Apple Intelligence. So, unless you own the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16, you'll continue to see the old Siri on your device. The same goes for the new Type to Siri feature as well. Other than these additions, Apple Intelligence, for the most part, has been a let down. As Anmol puts it, "there are a couple of useful features but they're nothing I can't live without". Moreover, Apple Intelligence won't be available to the public right away. It will be first accessible to users in the US starting from October. If you're not the US, however, you'll have to wait a little more. The company plans to ship it by December to some more regions like the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Besides, the standalone features in Apple Intelligence themselves will see a staged rollout. Not to forget, when these features finally arrive, you'll have to join Apple Intelligence waitlist and wait further before trying out any of them. So, it's not just me, even you may not be able to take advantage of Apple's AI features for the time being. With just a couple of handy features to speak of and a lot of features still unavailable, I don't think you'll miss not having Apple Intelligence on your iPhone 15, at least for now. When Apple Intelligence was revealed at WWDC 2024, Tim Cook called it "AI for the rest of us". However, the fact of the matter is, most of us won't even be able to use any of its promising features. Unlike Macs that only need an M-series chip to get it, Apple Intelligence has rendered the likes of the base iPhone 15 and even the iPhone 14 Pro obsolete, within just a couple of years. Apple says that the main reason for the unavailability of its AI features on older iPhones is down to the lack of computational power to run them natively and also effectively. Apple's head of AI strategy, John Giannandrea, had revealed earlier this year that while non-supported iPhones could run Apple Intelligence, it will be slow to respond, thus unusable. This is down to the absence of a dedicated and powerful Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and lower RAM. We mentioned "powerful" because, although the iPhone 14 Pro models have NPUs, they're not as nearly powerful as the ones on the iPhone 16 or the 15 Pro devices. This brings us to the question - should you upgrade to an iPhone 16 to use Apple Intelligence? Unless you're someone who upgrades their iPhone every year or you have a really old iPhone (like an iPhone 11), the answer is no. With so many features missing and some more restrictions, Apple's AI, at its current state, isn't a convincing reason to get the latest iPhone right away. In Apple's iOS 18 landing page, Apple Intelligence takes the top spot among the list of features showcased. But with its unavailablity for a wide range of devices, including the iPhone 15, iOS 18 is anything but the "biggest" update. I'm not saying it's bad. I'm glad that Apple finally gives me the freedom to personalize my homescreen and Control Center the way I want. Features like the new Passwords app or the ability to hide/lock apps have been welcome additions. But in the grand scheme of things, I don't consider this version a distinguishable upgrade over iOS 17. I say that because, iOS 18 hasn't drastically changed the way I use my iPhone and certainly hasn't made anything easier. Features like the revamped Photos app have only made me regret switching so early. Apple Intelligence and its groundbreaking features are reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro and the newer models which makes iOS 18 all the more underwhelming. What do you think about the iOS 18? Are you planning to install it on your iPhone right away? Then you can follow this install iOS 18 guide to know how to. If you have any doubt on this topic, let us know in the comments.

iOS 18 superguide: Everything you need to know about the iPhone update

Find out about the latest version of iOS 18, compatibility, new features, problems, and what's coming in the next version of the beta. Even if you're not planning to buy one of the new iPhones, your existing iPhone (XR and later) can now get a bunch of new features following the release of iOS 18. Among the new features in iOS 18 are a redesigned Photos app, new ways to customize your Home screen and wallpaper, new Messages reactions, privacy-related features and dozens of other smaller changes. There will also be some AI features, dubbed Apple Intelligence coming to some iPhones (find out if they'll be on your iPhone below). This free software update brings interface tweaks, bug fixes, and new features. It is like getting a new iPhone without paying a penny. In this article, we discuss everything you need to know about iOS 18, including which iPhones will be able to run iOS 18, the new features - and the new features still to come because they weren't ready in time for the launch of iOS 18. We also have information about the beta program including the latest version of the public and developer betas. Update: September 20 - reports of a Messages crashing bug connected to use of Apple Watch. iOS 18 arrived on Monday, September 16. macOS Sequoia, watchOS and iPadOS 18 were also launched around the same time. The latest version is iOS 18, but expect iOS 18.0.1 to arrive soon as Apple addresses any problems with the initial release. For example, there appears to be an issue with iPadOS 18 causing the iPad Pro M4 to stop working. See: iPadOS 18 update pulled after bricking M4 iPad Pro. Apple is also working on a beta of iOS 18.1, which includes Apple Intelligence features. Apple Intelligence is not available in the first version. The first set of features will come in iOS 18 with more following in subsequent updates. See our detailed roadmap of Apple Intelligence features and their likely release dates. Messages bug: A Messages bug that can cause crashes and may even result in the loss of valuable data has been reported. It seems to be connected to an Apple Watch feature that lets users share their watch face over Messages (or Mail). Obviously, those are quite a niche set of circumstances and the best way to avoid it appears to be to not reply to watch faces in a thread. We have more information here: Link-sharing bug in iOS 18 Messages can cause iPhone crashes, data loss. As long as your iPhone can run it, we recommend updating to iOS 18. The new features-all of which we discuss below-look enticing enough, and, so far, the only problem (see above) will not affect many people. We address how How iOS 17 and iOS 18 compare separately. Also take a look at: All the little details and hidden features in iOS 18 you won't want to miss. However, we do recommend you wait a week or more so that any issues with the early release can be addressed: despite the beta program, there are often issues once the software update gets installed on mass-market iPhones. It's also wise not to be one of the first downloaders because the download will likely take a lot longer if you try soon after it becomes available. Installing iOS 18 and any subsequent updates is a breeze. Just open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to General > Software Update; iOS will check for any available updates and guide you through the process of installing them. You simply have to follow the instructions, which we explain in our iOS updating guide. And it's easier still if you've turned on Automatic Updates, which you can do from the same screen. A little work preparing your iPhone before installing the update can help avoid problems. We advise you follow these steps: The following iPhones get support for iOS 18, the same lineup of supported devices as iOS 17. Read: iOS 18 compatibility: Which iPhones support iOS 18 and iOS compatibility checker Some of the new features will not be supported on the older phones, because they lack the hardware necessary (a powerful enough Neural Engine or GPU to run AI stuff, or enough RAM). This is typical of new iOS releases. In 2022, for example, the iPhone 8 and iPhone X missed out on a bunch of cool stuff due to their older processor. It is no surprise, therefore, that the hardware requirements are steep for the AI-related features aka 'Apple Intelligence' -- iPhone 15 Pro or later. Like iOS 17, iOS 18 does not support iPhone 8 or the iPhone X which came out in 2017, but since those phones are able to run iOS 16, they will continue to get support through security updates for at least another year. With the release of iOS 18 though, Apple will stop supporting iOS 15, which will mean that iPhone 7, 7 Plus, iPhone 6S, 6S Plus, and iPhone SE (1st generation) will no longer get support. Generally, Apple has provided software updates for the past two versions of iOS. See: How long does Apple support iPhones. Apple's beta testing program for developers and public testers has been running since June/July and will continue beyond the launch of iOS 18 to the general public. There is also a separate iOS 18 Sequoia 15.1 beta that includes Apple Intelligence features. Below you can find information about the latest beta versions and how to install them. If you want to run the developer beta, you need to be a registered Apple software developer, which has both free and paid ($99/£79) versions. We explain How to join Apple's beta program separately. Since June 2023 Apple has opened the beta testing program to all registered developers-so now everyone can get the earliest possible access to the iOS beta without paying Apple. Developer betas can be risky though, so as an alternative, anyone can sign up for the Public Beta, which should be more stable than the developer beta. Beware though: whether a public beta or a developer beta, any beta software is not as stable as the final version and the iOS and your apps may not work properly. Read Should you install the iOS 18 beta? for advice. Rather than installing the developer beta we recommend that you should install the public beta to avoid too many complications. Once registered, when you go to Settings > General > Software Update on your Mac, you'll see a new tab for Beta Updates, which will list the version of the beta you're running. For example, if you want to install the developer beta select iOS 18 Developer Beta, alternatively, if it's the public beta you want, select iOS 18 Public Beta. If you need help installing the developer or public betas read our How to get the iOS beta article. If you then want to uninstall it, we have a guide for that: How to remove the iOS beta. Apple began the beta program soon after it revealed the details of iOS 18 at WWDC. The developer beta is available for anyone who wants to run the beta, but it should be noted betas-especially developer betas-are likely to be buggy, so we don't recommend installing it on a primary device. Apple started parallel development of iOS 18.1 on July 29 with the release of the iOS 18.1 beta to developers with supported hardware (iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max). This version includes Apple Intelligence features which weren't available in the initial launch of iOS 18. See: Everything Apple Intelligence can (and can't) do in iOS 18.1. If you'd like to join the beta read how to join Apple's beta program and try out new software. If you want to remove the beta from your device read this: How to remove an iOS beta from your iPhone. There were many new features in iOS 17 including a new app called Journal, Live Voicemail, and a new way to use Stickers, among dozens of other smaller changes. Rumors suggested that iOS 18 would be "one of the biggest iOS updates -- if not the biggest -- in the company's history." As expected, in iOS 28 Apple will include some major new AI features, dubbed Apple Intelligence, although these features will only be available on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and newer iPhones. Not all the new features will be available at launch. The first Apple Intelligence AI features will be introduced in iOS 18.1. Other features, such as the new categories in Mail, will come "later this year" in a subsequent software update. Read: These features will be missing when iOS 18 launches this fall. There will be a more customizable Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Control Center in iOS 18. Several reports had claimed that Apple would allow greater personalization of the Home screen, including allowing users to place icons anywhere on the grid, allowing spaces between them. Prior to iOS 18 icons can be reordered or put into folders, but always fill the screen from left to right and top to bottom. In iOS 18 users will be able to arrange apps and widgets anywhere on the Home Screen, including right above the dock or framing a wallpaper. It will even be possible to change the lock screen icons or remove them. In addition, App icons and widgets can have a dark or tinted effect to blend in. Read: iOS 18: How to change the color of the app icons on your home screen and How to put app icons, widgets, and folders anywhere you want as well as iOS 18: How to make your app icons large and label-free. This "put icons wherever you want" feature is something we've wanted from Apple for many years, and has been a staple of many Android phones seemingly forever. The Control Centre is getting a redesign to give easier access to a user's most-utilized controls. Users will also be able to add controls from supported third-party apps into Control Center. Is it enough? Read: Apple is finally letting you have it your way-kinda and You can finally customize your iPhone like Android-here's everything you can do. New features in Photos will help users find their photos and keep big libraries organized. It's the biggest redesign of Photos ever and is intended to help users find photos fast. It will be simplified but still familiar, according to Apple and will include a new Unified View, new Collections, and customization features. Users will be able to filter out clutter to narrow down to specific types of content. It will be possible to browse by topics, time, people, memories, trips, Recent Days and People and Pets. A new carousel view will present highlights that update each day - featuring favorite people, pets, and places. Messages will gain new ways to express yourself. Expect improvements to text formatting and fun new text effects. Tapbacks are getting redesigned and will let you tap back with any emoji or sticker. You'll also be able to amplify and animate letters, word, phrases, and emoji, and add formatting like bold, underline, italics, and strikethrough. You will also be able to schedule a message to send later. Messages will also support RCS for more reliable group messaging with those who do not have an Apple device. Read about how your conversations with Android users will look in iOS 18 and RCS on iPhone with iOS 18: Every question answered. Apple is also making it possible to send Messages via Satellite so you can text when off the grid from Messages app. iMessages sent over satellite are encrypted. Mail will help you manage incoming email better with new on-device categorization. As email arrives it will be sorted into Primary (personal and time-sensitive), Transactions (confirmations and receipts), Updates (news and social notifications), and Promotions (marketing and coupons). A new Digest will pull together all relevant emails from a business, so for example, it could bring all flight information together. The Mail Categorization features will be available later this year. A new Highlights feature is designed to make it easier to discover information on the web. A redesigned Reader experience will use machine learning to surface key information on a webpage so that users can review a summary to get the gist of an article. A table of contents will be included for longer articles Apple says users will also be able to quickly see the location of a restaurant, hotel, or landmark; or listen to an artist's track right from an article about the song or album. You will also be able to snap away annoying ads. There will be new ways to pay with Apple Pay. Users can send and receive Apple Cash by holding two iPhones together: Tap to Cash will let you share cash without exchanging email or number. Tickets in Apple Wallet including key event information like an event guide with info about the venue, and recommended Apple Music playlists iPhone Mirroring will grant users access to their iPhone via their Mac. It will be possible to see notifications from the iPhone on the Mac, and drag and drop files between the devices. Read: How iPhone Mirroring lets you access your iPhone on your Mac in macOS Sequoia. Apple didn't discuss everything at WWDC. There were a number of features that didn't make the WWDC keynote. Also see: Unannounced iOS 18 tweak lets you see the time even when your iPhone is dead. iOS 18 will improve privacy. You will be able to control who can see your apps, which contacts you share with that app, and which accessories apps can connect to. You can also control whether others can view your apps on your iPhone by locking an app so it won't open without Face ID or a passcode. A new locked hidden apps folder is also coming with iOS 18. Developers will have a way to seamlessly connect third-party accessories with iPhones without letting an app see all the other devices on a user's network. Apple's new artificial intelligence system is coming to iPhone, Mac, and iPad with iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and iPadOS 18. Apple Intelligence will only be supported by iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max though. (Here's why you'll need to upgrade your iPhone to get Apple Intelligence, also read: Here's why newer iPhones and Vision Pro can't run Apple Intelligence). The hardware requirements are steep -- iPhone 15 Pro or later. iPads will need at least an M1 chip or later as will Macs. Apple Intelligence features will mostly be processed on the device, which is different from other platforms where AI processing is done in the cloud. But Apple Intelligence will be able to determine if cloud processing is needed and will use it when appropriate. Apple Intelligence features include the following: Writing - Apple Intelligence will help users enhance their writing and communications. Writing Tools are built in systemwide that will offer to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text in writing focused apps such as Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps. Images - New image capabilities will also come to M-series Macs. In Image Playground users will be able to create images in three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Photos - A new Memories in Photos feature will create a video from photos and videos based on a description provided by the user. Apple Intelligence will pick out the photos and videos, develop a storyline based on the photos, and arrange them into a movie. In addition, a new Clean Up tool will identify and remove unwanted objects from the background of a photo. Read: Apple Intelligence FAQ: What it is, what it does, and when you'll get it and Apple Intelligence is a gradual rollout -- here's what you'll get, and when. Siri is also getting some AI updates and ChatGPT is to be integrated into Siri. Because some queries will be handled off-device Apple is introducing Private Cloud Compute so that when data is sent to server-based models for processing it is not stored or made accessible to Apple. One of the simplest changes to Siri is that it will be easier to type to Siri rather than having to speak to the on-device assistant. Apple may have finally twigged that people don't always want to talk to their phones. The new Siri is said to be more "conversational" and natural, with features that "help users in their day-to-day lives." A new smart responses framework will help Siri take into account your own personal details in its replies: like people, companies, calendar events, locations, dates, and more. Later this year, Siri is said to get cross-device media control. So you can talk to Siri on one of your devices to control media playback on another. In an update scheduled for early 2025, Siri is said to gain the ability to control nearly any app, with hundreds of possible commands. This feature will start off with single commands for Apple's own apps and grow to include third-party apps and commands with multiple steps. In addition, Siri will be able to react to and take actions based on what is on your screen. This is said to go into beta for developers in January, with a rollout to users in iOS 18.4 in the spring. Apple is planning several new accessibility features for iOS 18, including Adaptive Voice Shortcuts, which will let users turn on or off specific accessibility features using a custom phrase, and Live Speech, which lets users type what they want to say and have it read out loud on phone calls or video meetings, will get the ability to add saved phrases to categories. Some iOS 18 features won't be a part of the initial release. Rather, they will be released later in 2024 or in 2025 as part of an iOS 18 point release (iOS 18.2 or iOS 18.4, for example). Here are some of the more significant features we expect to come later in an iOS 18 update: Mail app features - Auto-categorizing of mail, mail digests, and summaries in your inbox are all features expected later in 2024. Home support for robot vacuums - The Home app won't be able to start or stop your Roomba until later in 2024. Drag and Drop between iPhone and Mac - You'll be able to see and control your iPhone on your Mac when iOS 18 and macOS 15 are released, but drag-and-drop support between your Mac and iPhone will come in an update. ChatGPT integration - The ability to call upon ChatGPT when using Apple's AI tools will likely come later in 2024. Advanced Siri features - Siri features like its ability to see and react to what is on your display, semantic indexing (where Siri knows and uses information from across Messages, Mail, Contacts, and more), and advanced control over apps is all coming in 2025. In addition, all of the Apple Intelligence features will initially support only American English, and may be limited to only some regions. Additional languages and regions are likely to be available through 2025 and beyond. We know that the next version of iOS after Apple finishes development of iOS 18 will be iOS 19. But what next in terms of software? Expect even more Apple Intelligence features to come in the late 2025 update to iOS and expect that iOS, iPadOS and macOS will be closer than ever. Over the past several years, the release of the new version of iOS has been fairly consistent, usually falling on the Monday following Apple's iPhone launch event: