Apple has officially announced iOS 18, the next version of its iPhone operating system, at WWDC 2024 (see our WWDC 2024 live blog for a summary of key revelations).
The massive software update will bring significant upgrades to core iPhone apps including Mail, Messages, Photos and Wallet later this year, with many of those upgrades coming as a result of Apple’s commitment to “intelligence on devices.”
For example, Mail will soon be able to categorize your emails and provide easy-to-read summaries, while the Photos app will be unified into a single view containing a grid of photos and a grid of data. You’ll be able to filter photos by topics like screenshots and groups without having to organize content into albums.
In the Messages app, iOS 18 will let you respond to messages with any emoji, and you’ll be able to schedule messages to be sent at a convenient time in the future. Apple is also adding new text formatting, so you’ll be able to underline, strike through, and bold your messages, as well as add new text formatting like ripple effects.
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The Messages app will also soon support the RCS standard, which should facilitate a richer messaging experience when you’re communicating with someone who doesn’t own an Apple device. Apple is also expanding the satellite capabilities of compatible iPhones to allow you to send messages via satellite when cellular and Wi-Fi connections are unavailable.
iOS 18 will also give users the ability to rearrange app icons and widgets for the first time. You’ll be able to place apps on the bottom or side of the screen, freeing up space for the wallpaper behind them. You’ll also be able to trigger a new dark mode for app icons in iOS 18, as well as add color tints.
Control Center is also upgraded in iOS 18. Soon, you’ll be able to split Control Center into different functional groups like Media and Home, resize Control Center widgets, and customize which Control Center widgets appear on the lock screen.
Wallet, meanwhile, is being upgraded with a new tap to cash feature that should make it easier to pay friends, while iOS 18 will also introduce optional Face ID authentication for all iPhone apps — not just Notes and banking apps.
Apple also unveiled its own spin on AI at WWDC 2024, called Apple Intelligence, which looks set to make iOS 18 an even more powerful upgrade for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, exclusively. Apple Intelligence will help process and create language and images, take actions on behalf of users in a variety of applications, and speed up everyday tasks.
Apple has yet to announce a specific release date for iOS 18, although the company usually starts rolling out the latest version of its operating system alongside its new iPhones. The iPhone 16 series will almost certainly debut in September this year, so we expect iOS 18 to be available for download on compatible iPhone models.
By the way, members of Apple’s developer program can now try an early version of iOS 18. Read our guide on how to download iOS 18 beta for an overview of how to do it.
As for which iPhones will be compatible with iOS 18 proper, Apple has confirmed that you’ll need an iPhone XS or later (in other words, any iPhone with an A12 Bionic chipset or later).