Yearly, Apple publicizes the brand new model of iOS on the Worldwide Builders Convention in June. It then enters a beta testing interval (first for builders solely, then for the general public) earlier than being launched in September, across the time the brand new iPhones go on sale.
We don’t count on the method or timeline to vary this 12 months, however that’s about the one factor we will depend on being the identical as years previous. In the case of iOS 18 itself—its options and modifications—the rumors and leaks level to what may be some of the consequential iPhone software program updates in years.
What follows is a abstract of rumors and leaks, however keep in mind that the ultimate product could not fairly resemble what you learn right here. Details about upcoming Apple merchandise is usually unreliable, and even when it’s correct, plans change. That mentioned, that is what we predict we all know thus far.
Up to date April 10: The newest iOS 18 rumors counsel an AI shopping assistant and encrypted visible search.
iOS 18 launch date: When will iOS 18 arrive?
For the final 10 years or so, the brand new model of iOS has been launched in September, usually within the second or third week. We haven’t heard something to counsel this 12 months might be any totally different, so listed here are the final 5 years of launch dates for reference:
- iOS 17: September 18, 2023
- iOS 16: September 12, 2022
- iOS 15: September 20, 2021
- iOS 14: September 16, 2020
- iOS 13: September 19, 2019
Previous to its normal launch, Apple will make a developer beta accessible instantly after the WWDC keynote in June adopted by a public beta in early July. It should undergo a number of betas—with some options being added, modified, and dropped—earlier than the principle launch in September.
iOS 18 compatibility: Which iPhones will get iOS 18?
We haven’t heard any particular rumors about which units might be appropriate with iOS 18, however the prevailing assumption is that each one the telephones that received iOS 17 will get iOS 18. Meaning all the things from the iPhone XR and XS or 2nd-generation iPhone SE up via the iPhone 15, and naturally, the iPhone 16 that might be launched this fall. Here’s a listing of all of the iPhones that help iOS 17:
- iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Professional, iPhone 15 Professional Max
- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Professional, iPhone 14 Professional Max
- iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Professional, iPhone 13 Professional Max
- iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Professional, iPhone 12 Professional Max
- iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Professional, iPhone 11 Professional Max
- iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone SE(2nd gen or later)
It’s seemingly that among the coolest new options won’t be supported on the older telephones, as a result of they lack the {hardware} needed (a strong sufficient Neural Engine or GPU to run AI stuff, or sufficient RAM). That is typical of recent iOS releases.
iOS 18 rumored options: The largest iOS replace…ever?
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported extensively on iOS 18 growth, and claimed in his Energy On publication that, “the brand new working system is seen throughout the firm as one of many largest iOS updates — if not the most important — within the firm’s historical past.”
There might be main new AI options, we count on a lot of bold updates and modifications past simply stuffing AI into all the things.
An all-new Siri
Probably the most seen theme of iOS 18 is claimed to be AI. Particularly, generative AI, which Apple has been sluggish to deliver to market whereas merchandise like ChatGPT, Bard, CoPilot, Dall-E, Steady Diffusion, and others have taken the tech world by storm.
There was an enormous push inside Apple to construct a generative AI know-how stack, and we’ve seen Apple publish papers on a lot of subjects like a brand new giant language mannequin referred to as Ajax, object reference referred to as Ferret, new speech recognition fashions, and far more.
Siri is claimed to be getting a giant “Generative AI” overhaul, utilizing new giant language fashions and different superior AI to take it to the following degree.
AI in all places
Siri’s not the one place Apple is claimed to be incorporating new superior AI. We don’t have all the small print but, however Apple is claimed to have an edit to deliver superior AI options to as a lot of its merchandise as it will probably. Apple Music playlist technology is one oft-cited space, and so is code technology in Xcode, AI options in Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, and extra.
Apple is anticipated to comply with a hybrid strategy, performing many AI duties on-device for higher privateness, safety, and responsiveness, but in addition using cloud-based AI for greater duties that may’t run on an iPhone. And there’s a cause to imagine that Apple may dive into the generative AI pool as nicely, with a lot of gen-AI analysis printed by Apple researchers just lately.
In March, it was reported that Apple is speaking with Google about together with its Gemini AI in iOS 18, although in what capability, no person actually is aware of.
One other report claimed that Apple is shopping for AI tech from Baidu in China, although that’s seemingly for use in China solely (Google and OpenAI’s gen-AI merchandise should not accessible in China).
Nicolás Álvarez on X (previously Twitter) posted about discovering some back-end code that means a few new options: Safari shopping assistant and encrypted visible search.
A extra customizable Dwelling display
A number of stories declare that Apple will permit larger personalization of the Dwelling display, together with permitting customers to position icons anyplace on the grid, permitting areas between them. At present, icons could be reordered or put into folders, however at all times fill the display from left to proper and high to backside.
This “put icons wherever you need” function is one thing we’ve needed from Apple for a few years, and has been a staple of many Android telephones seemingly ceaselessly.
RCS help
Late in 2023, Apple introduced what appeared to be the unthinkable: RCS help is coming to iPhone. Sure, Messages will nonetheless be a lock-in for default texting and no, iMessage isn’t going anyplace. However the “inexperienced bubbles” might be RCS not SMS, when texting with different RCS-supporting units.
The catch? It’s not coming till “later in 2024” which nearly definitely means iOS 18, if not iOS 18.1 or 18.2. When it arrives, you’ll lastly get issues like learn receipts, full-size photographs and movies, typing indicators, and extra once you ship messages to individuals with Android telephones.
New accessibility options
In response to MacRumors, Apple is planning a number of new accessibility options for iOS 18, together with Adaptive Voice Shortcuts, which is able to let customers activate or off particular accessibility options utilizing a customized phrase, and Dwell Speech, which lets customers kind what they need to say and have it learn out loud on telephone calls or video conferences, will get the flexibility so as to add saved phrases to classes.
The report additionally lists 5 macOS apps that may get help for customized font sizes, although since font sizes work otherwise in iOS, this function could also be restricted to macOS.
Imaginative and prescient Professional affect
Apple’s visionOS interface introduces various new interface components, most notably round residence display icons. A rumor from the Israeli information web site The Verifier claims “Apple is engaged on bringing components from the visionOS working system of the Imaginative and prescient Professional glasses into the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates.” That would imply large modifications are coming to iOS—in any case, it’s been greater than a decade because the final main redesign shook issues up in iOS 17.
MacRumors stories that the Digital camera app might even see some design modifications. The modifications are delicate and gained’t drastically change the place controls are positioned, however the Digital camera app appears extra just like the one in visionOS.