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“I’m told that Apple’s new operating system is considered one of the biggest iOS updates – if not the biggest – in the company’s history,” Gurman reports in his newsletter. To understand what that means, we don’t have to go far back in time: Last year, Apple said watchOS 10 was “the biggest update ever” since the launch of the Apple Watch. In watchOS 10, various apps and parts of the user interface have been overhauled. As far as iOS 18 is concerned, we can already be almost certain about two features: it has a lot of AI functions and RCS for the Messages app is coming.
“Biggest iOS update”
iOS receives an update every year, but it’s been a while since there’s been a really big update. One of the biggest updates in the history of the iPhone was iOS 7, when the old design with wooden structures and seams was replaced with a so-called “flat design” without much effort. We don’t expect any major new design trends with iOS 18, but rather internal adjustments that will make using the iPhone even more pleasant.
Software CEO Craig Federighi during WWDC 2023.
iOS 18 is packed with new AI features
The announcement of iOS 18 (codename: Crystal) will, as usual, take place in June, during WWDC 2024. In November, Bloomberg already reported that iOS 18 was expected to be the “most ambitious” update in years, and in January that didn’t seem to be the case be the case. changed. Apple is reportedly planning to add many new artificial intelligence (AI) features. Additionally, Gurman says the iPhone will bring “a lot more.” He plans to share more details in the coming months.
Previously, the Bloomberg reporter reported that Apple is planning a number of new AI features, namely:
- An updated version of Siri that is smarter and can use a new AI system based on large language models (LLMs).
AI features in the Messages app answer questions and automatically complete sentences. - New AI features in Apple Music to create automatically generated playlists based on personal preferences.
- Generative AI capabilities in the iWork apps, including Keynote and Pages.
- More options in the Tasks app so you can create smarter automations.
- Generative AI features in Xcode help developers write apps faster.
iOS 18 gets RCS support
A slightly smaller addition is support for RCS on the iPhone. This is a cross-platform messaging standard that replaces SMS. This makes it easier to communicate with Android users. Apple announced in November 2023 that RCS support would be added to the Messages app, citing a time frame of “later in 2024.” We suspect it will be in iOS 18.
Many adjustments for EU legislation have already been made in iOS 17.4, but it is possible that iOS 18 will include some more adjustments in this area, including for countries outside the EU. For example, Apple recently announced that cloud gaming services are now allowed on the iPhone (under certain conditions).
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