Why iOS 18 Could Be the Biggest Update Ever

We’re still a few months away from seeing iOS 18 in action. Apple typically doesn’t release the full version of its major software updates until the fall, alongside each year’s new iPhone lineup.

However, it’s likely Apple will show off iOS 18 before that with a preview at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, accompanied by an early beta to give developers a head start on getting their apps ready.

Still, even though it’s still a few weeks away, it seems everyone thinks iOS 18 will be one of the biggest updates we’ve seen in a long time.

Everyone, from analysts to leakers — and apparently, even Apple itself — believes that iOS 18 will be huge. In fact, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman thinks it will be “one of the biggest iOS updates — if not the biggest — in the company’s history.”

So, it sounds like there’s a lot to get excited about. But why is that? What will iOS 18 bring to the table that we haven’t seen before? Keep reading to find out.

AI Will Play a Big Role in iOS 18

Artificial intelligence has become increasingly popular over the last few years, and it seems Apple will finally join the trend in 2024. In fact, the reason why iOS 18 is said to be one of the most groundbreaking updates from Apple is because it’ll be the first software update to implement new generative AI features.

What makes this new AI so special? Well, according to the rumors, you’ll be able to use AI across many different apps. 

For starters, rumors suggest that you’ll be able to use AI in the Messages app. With it, you could ask your iPhone to write a whole message for you rather than typing what you just said. There are also reports that you’ll be able to ask your iPhone to complete a message you just started.

Moreover, there are speculations that the AI will be able to summarize messages so you won’t need to listen to or read the complete message. Like the current AI we know right now, you’ll also be able to ask it questions about the messages and get answers right away.

Artificial intelligence is also said to come to Apple Music. While we don’t know exactly how much it’ll be able to do, there are rumors that AI will be able to create new playlists based on anything you ask.

Last but not least, productivity. Apple’s AI is said to be really useful for apps like Keynote and Pages. While we don’t have full details at the moment, it’s possible that you’ll be able to create documents and presentations just by giving a few prompts about everything you want to see.

It’s also been speculated that the iPhone’s Search feature (also known as Spotlight Search) will see great improvements from AI. In theory, you could basically use it like ChatGPT, in the sense that you’ll be able to ask questions to your iPhone and get answers right away instead of having to use a search engine.

It’s unclear how much of this Apple will develop itself. The company reportedly wants to stick to its own AI models for features that run in the background, but it could also partner with Google for some of the heavier AI features.

Siri Will Also Be Smarter (Thanks to AI)

Another rumor that’s been going around is that Siri will be the smartest we’ve ever seen. Of course, this will be thanks to Apple’s generative AI.

While we don’t know everything Siri will be able to do, you should expect Apple’s virtual assistant to be a big part of the new AI model. Moreover, it’s been speculated that Siri will allow users to get more personalized recommendations. 

For instance, Siri will learn what type of apps you use, and based on that information, it’ll suggest specific apps for specific times of day. This is similar to what it does now, but it should be way better at it.

Moreover, Siri should be able to help you with other tasks, such as writing in the Journal app or crafting the perfect email for your boss or coworkers.

RCS Support Is Finally Coming to the iPhone

While artificial intelligence is great, that’s not everything iOS 18 will bring. Apple has also confirmed that RCS support will be coming to the iPhone in 2024.

RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is a standard for chat services that provides a richer, more complete experience. With this standard, it’s basically like you’re using iMessage or Whatsapp, no matter who you’re talking to.

Currently, if you chat with an Android user in the Messages app, you’ll lack many features, like the ability to send high-quality pictures, voice messages, or read receipts. This, of course, incentivizes people to switch to an iPhone so they can use iMessage.

Now, however, Apple will finally adopt RCS support, letting Android and iPhone users have a better experience texting without the need for a third-party app like WhatsApp.

With RCS support, you’ll be able to do things like see if someone is typing or has read your message, send high-quality videos and pictures, and even join or create group chats. The catch is that these messages may still not be encrypted; Google offers end-to-end encryption in its RCS implementation, but that’s a custom Google extension and not part of the official RCS standard.

iOS 18 Might Get a Huge Redesign

It’s been a long while since Apple made any big design changes in iOS. Basically, we haven’t seen anything new since the company switched to a more minimal, flat design in iOS 7. 

Now, however, there are rumors that Apple might be ready to change the way the iPhone looks and feels — and that’s all thanks to the Apple Vision Pro.

That’s right; according to some rumors, Apple is getting ready to change the look of iOS to make it feel more like the icons and design in visionOS. 

We don’t know exactly how this will work, and it’s worth noting that we haven’t heard this one yet from any of the more typically reliable sources. However, if the reports are accurate, Apple could switch to a more translucent design for UI features like the navigation bar, similar to the one on the Vision Pro. Likewise, Safari is also reportedly set to get a big redesign.

Get Ready for iOS 18

It’s been a long time since we’ve heard about a big iOS update, so iPhone users should get excited over all of these changes. 

Granted, since these are still rumors and speculation, you should take it all with a grain of salt; even RCS support, which has been confirmed by Apple, might not arrive until sometime after iOS 18.0 is released in September.

Still, if Apple implements generative artificial intelligence into iOS, this will mark a huge shift for the company and could completely change the way we use and interact with our iPhones.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]