IOS 18 And What We Expect To See

The spotlight at Apple’s WWDC 2024 event shifted somewhat away from the iPhone operating software iOS 18, focusing instead on the company’s AI endeavors under the banner of ‘Apple intelligence.’ However, this doesn’t imply that the new features are subpar, nor does it suggest that updating to iOS 18 upon its release in Australia wouldn’t be worthwhile.

Its also important to remember that not every feature will be compatible for your phone even if your device made it to the cut of this major released this year, So We’ll be going through a list of phones that are compatible with IOS 18 then going through the feature list and what they are compatible on.

Please note we are only focusing on iPhones in this article not iPads or other Apple products.

Will My Phone Work With IOS 18?

You have a ..

• iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR
• iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)

Then yes you’ll be getting some sort of IOS 18 on your device,
If you do not see your device on the list then Apple wants you to upgrade or miss out!
If you see “All Devices” next to the feature I announce below then this means all supported devices that can get IOS 18 will have that feature.

What’s Gonna Be New About IOS 18?

Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 with A17 Chip)

Sadly even the iPhone 14 and below may not have Apple intelligence according to Apples official website at the time of writing this article.

The latest advanced AI, centered around user needs, is seamlessly integrated into iOS 18 with a strong focus on privacy from its inception. It offers innovative ways for users to elevate their writing and improve communication, Unfortunately it seems like its only available for the newest devices and not even the iPhone 14 which is still semi-new.

Apple Satellite (iPhone 14, iPhone 15 series)

This feature will allow users to send messages or use the find me app even if they don’t have a mobile data or WIFI connection, This will allow users to keep their location updated and reply to messages.

Please keep in mind that this feature has not been released in the current development version of IOS 18 and they only have a demo app, Satellite connection is in its early stages so it be slower then sending an iMessage via wifi or your mobile data.

More Control (All Devices)

This is available in the current dev version of IOS 18 you can now Customize the icons even to the point of blending them in with your wallpaper by the new “tint” option which allows you to add your own colour to the icons.

You can also turn certain icons that are supported widgets from icon in to widgets and you can also have more options in where you can place the icons instead of needing to be locked in with a grid.

iMessage also has more control allowing you to use any emoji as a react instead of being locked in with what apple allows, You can also use this feature with the current dev version but users that have IOS 17 and below installed will not see your custom reacts.

Photo App Revamp (All Devices)

The photo app has been completely re-designed that way it’s easier to access very old photos,
We’ve all had that moment where we can’t find a photo we took 6 months back but it just slips our minds so this will definitely help once you get use to the re-design.

In iOS 18, the Photos app offers a range of customization options to enhance personalization. Users can organize their collections, pin frequently accessed ones, and prioritize what matters most in the carousel view.

New Privacy Settings (All Devices)

Apple is reinforcing its commitment to privacy in iOS 18 by empowering users with increased control. This includes enhanced tools for managing app visibility, contact sharing preferences, and device connectivity. With the new update, users can lock or hide specific apps by relocating them to a secure, concealed folder.

making sure that notifications and content stay confidential. Additionally, users have the ability to specify which contacts each app can access, maintaining strict control over their data.

We all know Apple likes to value themselves as a privacy company and this is another step in that direction.

WHEN CAN I GET IOS 18?

This is the golden question at this stage its currently in its beta stages which means not all of these features that we’ve mentioned are currently available but they are guaranteed to be in the first stable version of Apples Mobile OS.

If you like to try it out you can do so here but we will not be showing you the process on how to get it on your phone as there are risks involved in any beta software or OS, I myself have gotten it (i knew the risks!) and it’s been flawless but just because it worked for me does not mean you have the same experience so take it as a grain of salt!

The first stable public version that be rolled out to all supported devices may be around September as this is what Apple has repeatedly done with these major releases.