IOS 18: Upcoming Rumors And Exciting Features
iOS 18, the highly anticipated software update, is still a few months away from being unveiled. However, there are already numerous rumors and expectations surrounding its release. Let’s dive into what we know so far:
IOS 18 Mock Feature Baubles
According to rumors, iOS 18 might introduce new generative AI features reminiscent of ChatGPT for Siri and various built-in Apple apps. Additionally, this update is expected to enhance the Messages app with RCS support, allowing for a better texting experience with Android users. Furthermore, there’s talk of possible design changes inspired by visionOS.
Stay tuned for the official unveiling of iOS 18 at Apple’s annual developers conference, WWDC, in June. The update is slated for a widespread release in September.
Generative AI And Smarter Siri
iOS 18 is rumored to bring significant advancements to Siri, Shortcuts, Messages, Apple Music, Pages, and other Apple apps through the integration of generative AI. In fact, during an earnings call in February 2024, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted at the company’s focus on generative AI, promising to reveal more details later in the year.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, generative AI has the potential to enhance Siri’s ability to answer questions and auto-complete sentences in the Messages app. Wayne Ma from The Information also suggested that Apple might incorporate large language models into Siri, allowing users to automate complex tasks and integrate them with the Shortcuts app.
The popularity of generative AI skyrocketed after the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022, prompting other tech giants like Google and Microsoft to develop their own similar chatbots and tools. It is worth noting that some generative AI features might be exclusive to the iPhone 16 models, which are rumored to have a Neural Engine with significantly higher core capacity.
RCS Support In Messages App
Apple announced in November 2023 that the Messages app on the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS, likely becoming a notable feature in iOS 18 based on the expected timeframe.
The implementation of RCS support will bring several improvements to messaging between iPhones and Android devices, such as higher-resolution photos and videos, audio messages, typing indicators, read receipts, Wi-Fi messaging between devices, improved group chats (including the ability for iPhone users to leave conversations with Android users), and enhanced encryption compared to SMS.
While these modern features are already available in iPhone-to-iPhone conversations via iMessage and in third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, RCS support on the iPhone will extend these capabilities to conversations with green bubbles in the Messages app.
Could IOS 18 Be The Biggest Update Yet?
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple believes that iOS 18 has the potential to become the most substantial software update in the history of the iPhone.
In his Power On newsletter in January 2024, Gurman wrote, “I’m told that the new operating system is seen within the company as one of the biggest iOS updates — if not the biggest — in the company’s history.”
VisionOS_Inspired Design Changes?
iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 are expected to incorporate design elements inspired by visionOS, according to a rumor shared by the Israeli website, The Verifier.
The rumor suggests that iOS 18 will include design changes in various system menus and built-in apps, with the Apple TV app on iPadOS 18 adopting a translucent navigation bar similar to the one introduced in tvOS 17.2 last year. This design shares similarities with visionOS, the operating system powering Apple’s futuristic Vision Pro mixed reality headset.
It’s important to approach this rumor with a pinch of skepticism, as The Verifier’s track record with Apple rumors has been mixed in the past.
For more details and updates on iOS 18, stay tuned to our blog.
