After more than three months of public beta tests, Apple will release iOS 18 to the general public this Monday, the 16th of September. It should be possible to download and install the update from Settings “General” Software Update on the iPhone XS and newer starting around 10 a.m. Pacific Time today / 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
Here are eight new features of iOS-18, which we mentioned above, and last week, Apple listed all the new features and changes.
Important to understand is that Apple Intelligence features are not coming until iOS 18.1 and later.
Home Screen Customizable iOS 18
lets you place app icons on the Home Screen, also, it introduces two new options for changing Home Screen icon colors. Dark and Tinted. So, you can also increase the touch pre-view size and remove text labels below the app icons.
Redesigned Control Center iOS 18
The Control Center has been redesigned. Unlike the Home Screen, it is now more flexible really. Users can shuffle controls spread them across the number of pages and change the size. So, it is also very simple to add more controls through the all-new control gallery.
Enhancements iMessage iOS 18
In iOS 18, iMessage got many improvements, such as the ability to use any emoji as a tapback; text effects like ‘Shake’ and ‘Explode’; formatting tools, including bold and underline; the option to schedule messages for delivery; adding new SMS replacement, Rich Communication Services (RCS), and others.
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Redesigned Photos App
Apple said that it has given the Photos app its largest update yet in iOS 18, and tabs are no longer supported; instead, everything is in one area. These changes have caused controversy for some time, prompting Apple to redesign the app during the iOS 18 beta testing period.
Makes available app inactivation or locking by Face ID
This feature helps iOS 18 to lock any application to uses Face ID, Touch ID, and/or an iPhone’s passcode, which makes it very secure. Also, you can now ‘bury’ an app in the bury apps section, which is locked, and the app basically disappears.
Passwords App
The new iOS 18 has unveiled a Passwords app, which brings many of the iCloud Keychain features that were located in the Settings app. Furthermore, the app now makes it easier to manage passwords, passkeys, two-factor authentication codes, and other security features.
Distraction Control
Safari’s new feature, Distraction Control, lets users hide certain website elements like newsletter subscription boxes or cookie consent notifications through a pop-up capability. Apple has clarified that this feature is not an ad blocker. Instead, it focuses on improving user experience by allowing the hiding of certain website elements. If the content of an ad is refreshed, the banner will still reappear; if not, then it will not be seen by the audience.
Game Mode
Launched on Mac, Game Mode is now capable of operating on iPhone as well. Apple says Game Mode “reduces the background activity necessary to deliver consistent frame rates during gameplay,” that it “reduces audio latency for AirPods by up to 50%,” and that wireless controllers “feel incredibly responsive.”