iOS 18 Features: What’s New and Why It Matters

Last Updated on 09/20/2024 by M Kumar

iOS 18 Features bring exciting updates in new iOS 18. Take a look at the new iOS 18 Features in this new update.

iOS 18 has officially rolled out by Apple, this latest update has many new features and enhancements. Apple seems to be doing its best to bring a better user experience with various new updates and AI tools and apps via this iOS 18 update. So, let’s see what is new in the iOS 18 update and how this update enhances your experience.

What is iOS 18?

iOS 18 is the newly distributed version from Apple to its iPhones. As Apple’s operating systems, such as with any other version, the company usually releases one main version on an annual basis, containing new features, fixes, and improvements, and iOS 18 is not exempt. The new update makes the user’s iPhone smarter, more intuitive, and customizable for control over their device as a whole with better performance in general.

iOS 18 Features

Extreme personalization of the iPhone interface will most probably be at the forefront of the iOS 18 features. Apple has brought new options with almost every new release of the tool, so users can experiment with change and experience their iPhones in different ways.

Configuration Homescreen

iOS 18 has a number of control features over the home screen looks The users now have an ability to roam around apps and widgets freely as given by Apple. The company can apply various color themes to icons or add dark tones for a sleek look. Some of the apps by Apple can be locked by Face ID and passcodes for an added layer of security.

This level of personalization liberates the user to make their iPhone different.

Revived Control Center

The Control Center in iOS 18 is better designed with minimalistic features. It is even more customizable, and the newly introduced round icons allow you to personalize the pages, resize controls, and put it according to your preference.

Adding and removing controls makes your experience much more tractable as the owner of your phone. For work, for play, or a little bit of both, this new Control Center makes it easier to get to what you need right now.

New Messaging App Features

The Messages app also got updated and now one can format the text in bold, italics, underlined, and strikethrough. This would be a helpful way for those who would want the tone of the message to be more professional.

One of the new iPhone features is RCS or Rich Communication Services. According to the company, now iPhone users will get a much smoother experience texting to friends on any kind of phone.

Another feature is that of message scheduling. One may write a message and then schedule its sending later. It comes in very handy by sending reminders or birthday wishes to friends at the right time if one is not online to send that message.

Call Recording and Transcription

One feature many are talking about with iOS 18: call recording. The capacity of Apple Intelligence to now have iPhones using iOS 18 record and create the transcription of voice calls to be easily found later as a reference for the user will only be available on anything except iPhone 15 Pro, or newer, to assure safe storage on that device.

While other countries do prohibit the recording of conversations as a privacy policy, Apple wishes this feature could include that integration of that while keeping the privacy. Users will have to decide whether they want recording a call or not. All recordings shall be saved locally inside a phone.

Passwords Application

The new Passwords app on iOS 18 makes it easier to manage and protect passwords. This app securely stores all your login credentials so you can access them with Face ID or a password. Apple is to be fully trusted with this solution that users can use instead of third-party apps for the efficient management of passwords.

This is surely one of the most beautiful features in today’s age of security, where convenience and peace of mind go hand-in-hand.

Game Mode

For gamers, Apple introduces Game Mode in iOS 18-the feature made for people who enjoy playing on their iPhones. The mode limits background activity on the iPhone and cuts audio delay when using AirPods. This will offer gamers smoother, more immersed performances. Game Mode will really ensure users experience fewer interruptions and better performance in that regard because of focusing iPhone resources on gameplay.

Safari and Maps Enhancements

Other new features iOS 18 brought in Safari and Maps. The former now offers a distraction-free reading feature designed to read articles and web pages for the reader minus the distractions that others, by the way, have found rather irritating. With the new Distraction Control feature, unwanted elements surrounding a web page like ads and pop-ups would be blocked for a cleaner and more focused experience when surfing.

Combining several features, such as topographic views and trails to use even offloading in iOS 18, Apple Maps becomes a trusted sidekick for outdoor explorers. Now users are permitted to download the maps, which can be used in finding out any remote area if there is no internet.

Apple Intelligence and AI Operations iOS 18 does a lot of heavy lifting from the side of AI, extensively enhancing many features for iPhone user experience. Writing assistants, priority notifications, and even image creation fall under Apple’s released AI-driven applications. Upgraded Siri becomes smarter, delivers even more context-aware answers, and also becomes proficient in processing complicated requests.

It now responds quickly to the message because of understanding its context, which makes the conversations smooth and faster. All these features of AI save the time people invest in typing or handling their phones to make life easier with each passing day.

New Apple Pay and Productivity Features

While Apple Pay in iOS 18 introduces new ways for customers to pay online and in apps, it is already far more available far quicker and handier from an iPhone and iPad.

Productivity apps Notes and Calendar were updated. Now in Apple’s Notes, users can solve their formulas and equations instantly because Apple’s Notes now computes formules and math equations instantly. And with the app’s new collapsible sections and highlighting features, organizing very important information is more accessible to the app’s user. The other method, it combines reminders and the application calendar. Here, in this mode, tasks integrate directly through the calendar application, thus offering the user an up-to-date system of managing their daily events and tasks.

AirPods Over the Air

The iOS 18 will be full of many updates for users of AirPods with better Voice Isolation, that calls become clearer while with support for even more interaction with Siri possible through head movements-nod or shake a head. Audio latency on this update has been reduced down to the level that is ideal for mobile games. Later this fall, for anyone with mild to moderately severe hearing loss, Apple will introduce a Hearing Aid feature in AirPods Pro 2, turning AirPods Pro into a custom-fit hearing aid based on the result of an audiological hearing test.

Journal App and Integration with Health

The new journaling app in iOS 18 is powerful enough to easily keep track of thoughts, memories, and goals. It came with insights view; providing journaling progress and the facility to link up with the Health app to let users enable tracking mindfulness activities and even mood states while letting them log time spent journaling as mindful minutes. One could also add a Journal widget to the home screen so it could be accessed more quickly, allowing a person to get started more quickly.

How to Install iOS 18

If your iPhone is eligible for the iOS 18 update, installing the update is a simple process:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to General, then tap on Software Update.
3. Your iPhone will search for the update. Once it appears, tap Download and Install.
4. Wait for the update to download, then tap Install Now.
5. Your phone will restart, and iOS 18 will be installed.

Before updating, make sure your iPhone is backed up to avoid losing any important data.

Eligible iPhones for iOS 18

Not all iPhones are eligible to enjoy iOS 18 features. Apple has listed a specific set of iPhone models that can install this new software version. Here’s the list of iPhones that will receive the iOS 18 update:

• iPhone SE (2nd Gen)
• iPhone SE (3rd Gen)
• iPhone XR
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 14 Series
• iPhone 15 Series

Conclusion

iOS 18 comes with a great weight of very promising new features, being more heavy-packed smart interface with lots of options for customization, security, and usability. From an all-new revamped Control Center to newly introduced AI tools, this update promises a smoother experience for iPhone, going more personalized and intuition-grade.

All this, including the new game mode, improved Safari and Maps even recording calls. So, so all of that is coming in iOS 18 for all of you; therefore, creating an urge to update your iPhone now and get started experiencing new iOS 18 features and improvements on your device, making it a stronger one and user-friendly as well.

Still, personalization of the user and advanced technology make iOS 18 a giant leap in the efforts of Apple to give the very best in mobile software.

Also Read Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max

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