iOS 18 has officially launched, bringing a host of promising new features. But is your iPhone on the list to be upgraded to this latest operating system version?
What’s New in iOS 18?
iOS 18 is the biggest revolution since the iPhone’s inception. This time, Apple brings a fresh breeze, learning from competitors while staying true to its own essence. Customizable home screens and app icons that sync with wallpaper colors – features once thought impossible are now a reality on the iPhone. This is truly a remarkable step forward.
Notable Features in iOS 18
Redesigned Control Center: Personalized and More Convenient
The Control Center in iOS 18 has undergone a dramatic transformation, offering unparalleled customization and an optimized user experience. Now, you can not only quickly access system functions but also add controls for specific features (like music control, smart home control) and even your favorite third-party apps.
Home Screen Customization: Unleash Your Creativity
iOS 18 brings unprecedented flexibility to home screen customization. You can freely drag and drop icons on the screen, no longer constrained by a fixed grid. Changing the color and size of app icons and widgets is also a breeze, all without the need for third-party apps. Want a minimalist screen with a few large icons? Or arrange apps by color? Even create artistic spaces between icons? It’s all possible! With iOS 18, your home screen becomes a canvas for expressing your personality and style.
Lock Screen: Customize Feature Buttons
iOS 18 offers unprecedented personalization for the lock screen, allowing users to not only replace the two default feature buttons (flashlight, camera) with shortcuts for quick access to apps, system features, or even complex automation tasks, but also to turn them off completely if desired, optimizing the user experience from the first glance.
Lock and Hide Apps
Previously, iPhone users could only hide apps by placing them in the App Library, but they could still be found through search. With iOS 18, users can lock sensitive apps with Face ID, requiring facial authentication each time the app is opened, while also hiding them from the home screen and search results, enhancing security and privacy for users.
New Password Manager App
iOS 18 also introduces a brand new password manager app, replacing the previous iCloud Keychain. This app offers a more intuitive and focused user experience, making password management and access easier than ever before.
Improved Safari
Safari on iOS 18 delivers an enhanced browsing experience with a redesigned Reader Mode, a Highlights feature for summarizing content, and an improved Distraction Control to eliminate distractions like ads, pop-up windows, banners, and other disruptive elements, effectively blocking ads for a cleaner browsing experience, along with improvements in security and performance.
Game Mode Integration
According to Facts and Factor, mobile gaming is an industry expected to grow by more than 13% by 2030. And Apple seems to have recognized that with the introduction of Game Mode in iOS 18.
This feature automatically activates when you launch a game, optimizing device performance by:
- Minimizing background activity: Background tasks are limited, allowing the iPhone to focus all its power on handling the game, ensuring a stable and smooth frame rate.
- Reducing Bluetooth connection latency: The responsiveness of Bluetooth-connected game controllers is significantly improved, providing a more precise and responsive control experience.
- Reducing AirPods audio latency: When using AirPods, audio latency is minimized, allowing you to experience immersive sound that’s perfectly synced with the game’s visuals.
With Game Mode, iOS 18 transforms your iPhone into a true “gaming machine,” delivering a top-notch gaming experience right on your mobile device.
Upgraded Notes App
The Notes app on iOS 18 is not just for regular note-taking; it transforms into a powerful assistant. Features like live calculations, collapsible sections, keyword highlighting, and enhanced search help you work more efficiently. Plus, the Notes widget on the home screen allows you to quickly jot down ideas anytime, anywhere.
Eye Tracking Feature
The eye-tracking feature on iOS 18, also known as Eye Tracking, lets users interact with their iPhones simply by looking at the screen. This is especially beneficial for people who have difficulty using traditional touch gestures. It’s also a feature I find incredibly cool; controlling your phone with your eyes feels like having a superpower, it’s really fun.
Redesigned Photos App
iOS 18 also brings significant improvements to the Photos app, making it easier for you to rediscover cherished memories. Now, you can search for photos by keywords, locations, or even the content within the images. Additionally, the ability to sort photos by month, year, or theme helps you organize your photo library more scientifically and efficiently.
Improved Sleep Tracker
The sleep tracker on iOS 18 goes beyond simply recording sleep duration. It provides detailed analysis of sleep stages, from light sleep to deep sleep and REM, giving you a deeper understanding of your rest quality. The Health app will track sleep trends over time, offer personalized suggestions to improve sleep, and seamlessly integrate with other sleep tracking devices like the Apple Watch, providing a comprehensive picture of your sleep health.
Apple Intelligence AI
Apple Intelligence AI is Apple’s latest artificial intelligence system, deeply integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. It utilizes powerful generative models combined with personal context to provide users with an intelligent and useful experience.
Some of the key features of Apple Intelligence AI include:
- Smart Replies in Mail: Helps compose quick email replies with all the relevant details.
- Image Creation: Generates fun and unique images with three styles: animated, illustrated, or sketched.
- App Actions: Performs complex tasks across multiple apps using just your voice.
- Personalization: Recommends content and features based on the user’s preferences and usage habits.
Apple Intelligence AI promises to bring a whole new user experience, with the ability to understand and support users in a more intelligent and personalized way than ever before.
List of iPhones That Can Be Updated to iOS 18
iOS 18 is now available on the new iPhone 16 models (16 Plus/16 Pro/Pro Max) and can also be updated on the following iPhone lines:
- iPhone 15/15 Plus/15 Pro/15 Pro Max
- iPhone 14/14 Plus/14 Pro/14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13/13 mini, 13 Pro/13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12/12 mini/12 Pro/12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS/XS Max/XR
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)/SE (3rd generation)
Note: Some AI features may be limited or not work on older devices when updating to iOS 18.
Should You Update to iOS 18?
Reasons to Update to iOS 18
- Enhanced AI capabilities: Although Apple Intelligence is not yet fully integrated, iOS 18 still brings some AI improvements, such as better image recognition and natural language processing, making apps smarter and more efficient.
- Personalized experience: iOS 18 offers superior customization, allowing you to personalize your home screen and Control Center to your liking, creating a unique interface that suits your style.
- Smart photo management: The redesigned Photos app with an intuitive interface and intelligent search features makes it easy to find, organize, and enjoy your memorable moments.
- Improved performance: iOS 18 is optimized for smoother and more stable operation, especially on older devices, providing a better user experience.
- Enhanced security: The update also comes with important security patches, helping to protect your personal data more securely.
- Exciting new features: iOS 18 introduces many exciting new features such as the redesigned Reader in Safari, Game Mode, and a new password manager app.
Reasons Not to Update to iOS 18 Immediately
- Initial software bugs: The first versions of iOS often come with some software bugs that have not been fully fixed. If you don’t want to encounter unexpected issues, consider waiting for the next bug fix updates before upgrading.
- Compatibility issues: Some apps may not yet be optimized for iOS 18, leading to issues such as app crashes, instability, or incorrect display.
- Reduced performance on older devices: On older devices, iOS 18 may cause reduced performance, faster battery drain, or sluggishness.
- Storage requirements: The iOS 18 update may require a certain amount of storage space. If your device has limited storage, make sure you have enough free space before upgrading.
If you are using an older device or don’t want to encounter potential issues, consider waiting for the next bug fix updates or do thorough research before deciding to upgrade to iOS 18.
