New iOS 18: What to Expect

A new Apple iOS update is in town; this time, it’s iOS 18! Announced and previewed at yesterday’s annual WWDC 2024 event, this is one of Apple’s biggest updates in a long time. If you didn’t watch the event, here’s a run down of what you missed.

Apple Intelligence 

Thanks to all new Apple Intelligence, iPhones are about to get more intelligent than ever. iOS 18 utilises AI to make your experience with your phone seamless from start to finish. For example, if you’re typing an email, new Writing Tools will assist you in finding the right words so the tone and wording are just right. This same handy feature is applied to anywhere you type. Alternatively, enhanced language capabilities allow you to summarise dialogue such as lectures in seconds! Ultimate convenience in the palm of your hand. Below we’ll dive into more of the impressive features that are coming thanks to AI. 

Integrated ChatGPT

Since its initial release in November 2022, ChatGPT has taken over the AI industry, and surprise this will now be integrated into iOS18! Siri will now have the ability to tap into ChatGPT when performing certain tasks such as answering questions about documents or photos. Alternatively Compose in Writing tools will allow you to illustrate striking original content from scratch. Don’t worry if you’re not a fan of the platform you can switch this integration off giving you full control over your device.

Priority Notifications 

Included in the realm of Apple Intelligence, priority notifications are another thing users can enjoy. Applied to emails, texts and other general notifications, priority notifications will appear at the top of your notification stack, letting you know what to pay attention to. In addition, the new Reduced Interruptions feature understands the context of your notifications and shows you the ones that need immediate attention first, for example, a reminder text of an appointment or pick-up time of your child. 

Smart Reply

Do you ever get stuck with what to reply to an email? Well, Smart Reply does what it says on the tin and quickly drafts email responses with all the right details. Apple Intelligence swoops in and identifies any questions you were asked in an email and offers relevant selections to include in your reply. No more email brain fog!

Improved Customisation

With iOS 18 you can say goodbye to the annoying restrictions of app and home screen design and instead enjoy enhanced customisable magic! Users can now take advantage of open space and place apps and widgets wherever they like on their home screen. Additionally, you can spice up your apps and widgets with a new dark or tinted effect.

New Era for Siri

Siri is getting a revamp! Drawing on the powers of AI, users can enjoy an all-new design, richer language understanding, and the ability to type to Siri whenever it’s convenient for them. The ability to perform actions in and across apps via Siri will also be available! The new and improved Siri adds a new level of convenience. 

What Devices is Apple Intelligence Compatible With?

Apple Intelligence is currently compatible with the following devices:

• iPhone 15 Pro Max – A17 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro – A17 Pro
• iPad Pro – M1 and later
• iPad Air – M1 and later
• MacBook Air – M1 and later
• MacBook Pro – M1 and later
• iMac – M1 and later
• Mac mini – M1 and later
• Mac Studio – M1 Max and later
• Mac Pro – M2 Ultra

When will iOS 18 be released?

iOS 18 is due to be released to the public mid September 2024. Bit of a long wait we know, but with the plethora of new features coming it’s probably worth it.