There are a number of new elements and additions that Apple introduced with iOS 18 and it is focused on enhancing the overall experience and simplifying routine activities with the help of advanced mobile technologies. iOS 18 was previewed at the Apple Event 2024 alongside new hardware and some believe it will revolutionize the use of iPhones and iPads. We’ll go into great detail about the main iOS 18 features and improvements that set it apart in this blog.
iOS 18 Features: Design
The most significant addition to the iOS 18 update may be Apple Intelligence. But Apple has also made some notable design changes to the Home Screen to refresh its appearance and make it more consistent with the Lock Screen update from iOS 17.
Home Screen
With iOS 18 features, you can have a Home Screen and app pages with a small number of apps and widgets with as much space as you like between rows of icons. Apps and iOS 18 widgets can be placed anywhere on the iPhone’s hidden grid. It is possible to increase the size of the icons and widgets on the Home Screen by removing the titles of the apps, freeing up space.
App Icons
To be used along with Dark Mode, Apple introduced a Dark color for app icons as a part of iOS 18 features. Every one of Apple’s built-in programs now has a new, darker appearance when it’s activated. You may choose to use the Dark option alone or in conjunction with Dark Mode.
Additionally, you have the option to change the default color of each app icon by tinting them to match your wallpaper. Not every icon can have a different color selected, and the capability is limited to applying a general tint to everything.
Hiding and Locking Apps
You can choose to lock an app or remove it completely from the Home Screen if you don’t want other people to see it. It’s a helpful feature that keeps your most private information hidden if you wish to be able to give your phone to someone else to play a game or show off some images.
Apps that are locked remain on your Home Screen until you tap them to unlock them using Face ID or Touch ID verification. An app that has been locked and hidden can only be found in a hidden apps section in the App Library, which requires biometric identification to access. Apps that are locked or hidden are not visible in other areas, including notifications or searches.
iOS 18 Features: Apple Intelligence
Powered by machine learning and huge language models, Apple Intelligence is the name given to the collection of artificial intelligence features that will be there in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. Apple’s most recent operating systems have extensive integration of Apple Intelligence, which opens up new app possibilities. Developers can currently access the beta of iOS 18.1 that is being tested for Apple Intelligence.
Image Playground
With this brand-new function that comes along with other iOS 18 features, you may create images by expressing your ideas. Like ChatGPT, you can generate an image with a prompt, and Apple also provides a list of suggested concepts.
If you’re having trouble coming up with a prompt, Apple offers these suggestions as ideas, although you are free to submit anything you like. Since Image Playground only produces stylized content, you are unable to produce anything that appears realistic. There are three styles that are available: Sketch, Illustration, and Animation.
Siri and Search
It has been redesigned by Apple Intelligence to be far more user-friendly and responsive to queries. Siri can understand more languages than you can, so even if you stammer or change your mind mid-sentence, it can still keep up.
Siri is more knowledgeable and helpful than ever due to its enhanced contextual awareness and capacity to gather data from your iPhone’s apps. You can use Siri to do things like browse a webpage and tell it to “send this to Eric” because Siri can see what’s on your screen. Improved personal context enables Siri to pull up critical emails, your passport number, or a movie recommendation from a friend. Siri is able to locate items on your device.
Additionally, Siri keeps track of your previous requests so you can refer back to them. For example, if you use Siri to create a calendar event for a trip, you may ask Siri what the weather will be like the next day and it will comprehend your question.
ChatGPT Integration
Apple and OpenAI are collaborating to incorporate ChatGPT into the Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Complex requests, including creating graphics or writing from scratch, can be referred by Siri to ChatGPT. ChatGPT goes above and beyond Siri in that it can generate and depict creative text from scratch using Writing Tools.
If you open a lengthy PDF and ask Siri to summarize it for you on a certain topic, ChatGPT will be able to do so. As a curator of AI models and technologies, Apple views Siri as a way to provide you with an answer without requiring you to open several apps.
The ChatGPT integration is optional, and before submitting a request to the ChatGPT and OpenAI servers, Siri requests your consent each time. Requests are not tracked by Apple or OpenAI unless you are logged into a premium ChatGPT account.
iOS 18 Features: Control Center
Perhaps, the least noticeable innovation in the list of iOS 18 features, but one of the game-changers. It will contribute to making some of the key settings and options easier to access than before.
Gesturing from the top-right corner downwards will bring up the Control Center on the screen. Some basic functions such as toggling airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Focus Modes on/off, and adjusting the brightness and volume have been included by Apple in recent years which has made it even more useful. Options including screen recording, screen mirroring, a QR code scanner, turning on and off dark mode, and initiating a timer or voice memo have been added.
iOS 18 Features: Privacy
iOS 18 features add a few more privacy features in addition to the ability to lock and hide apps so that accessing them requires either Face ID or Touch ID.
Apple has expanded the Settings app’s Privacy and Security section giving you easy ways to learn more about what you’re sharing and adjust it. The amount of applications that have permission to use various privacy areas including location, camera, microphone and more is featured in the Privacy & Security segment.
In iOS 18, you can choose to share a subset of contacts rather than your whole address book when apps ask to access your contacts. If an app can access contacts at all, you can choose exactly which contacts it can.
iOS 18 Features: Game Mode
The iOS 18 features a dedicated Game Mode that is designed to minimize background activity so that all of the iPhone’s processing power can go toward the game. Even when playing for extended periods of time, Game Mode is designed to deliver constant high frame rates.
With AirPods, Game Mode reduces audio latency and improves the responsiveness of game controllers. According to Apple, for improved responsiveness in games, the Bluetooth polling rate with wireless controllers is doubled.
Personalized Spatial Audio can now be used by game creators to produce more immersive audio for their games.
iOS 18 Features: Distraction Control
The new Distraction Control function, which is integrated into Safari, allows you to conceal certain website features, like cookie permission requests and newsletter sign-up forms. Apple claims that the feature is not intended to function as an ad blocker. Whenever the content is refreshed, an advertisement banner that you have hidden will resurface.
iOS 18 Features: Compatibility
Regarding the iOS 18 release date, Apple declared that the public will be able to download iOS 18.1 at some point in October. The four new iPhone 16 models and the iPhone 15 Pro models will have iOS 18 compatibility. They will get the first Apple Intelligence features via a software update.
iOS 18 features have something for everyone, whether you’re thrilled about the newest camera innovations, the enhanced Siri functionalities, or the new privacy improvements. iOS 18 is an appealing upgrade for both iPhone and iPad owners because, as usual, Apple continues to prioritize innovation and the user experience.
Conclusion
iOS 18 features offer a plethora of fascinating new upgrades and enhancements that elevate the overall user experience, ranging from a redesigned UI and sophisticated privacy settings to creative multitasking functionalities and improved health features. Providing customers with more functionality and an easier-to-use interface, Apple’s latest updates further push the limits of mobile technology.
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