⁠iOS 18

 ⁠iOS 18 will be the biggest OS upgrade in the history of iPhone

It's time to make Voice Memos a smarter iPhone app. For something that won't be coming out in its full form until the fall, iOS 18 is certainly generating a lot of interest and speculation. The likely arrival of AI-powered features will do that for a software update. A lot of the pre-release talk about iOS 18 is focusing on how Apple might integrate AI into its iPhone software. Generative creation tools in apps like Pages and Keynote? Perhaps even a smarter, more conversational Siri that's better equipped to field more complex questions. Following are the some of the important points:-

Apple's anticipated iOS 18 is set to be the biggest upgrade in iPhone history.

iOS 18 will bring AI features to iPpones.

Key features might also include smarter Siri and RCS Messaging.

Apple's next iPhone line up, the iPhone 16 series, is expected to arrive later this year. However, ahead of the launch, leaks and speculation abound, suggesting what could be significant upgrades. If these rumours are to be believed, the biggest update to the iPhone 16 will be iOS 18. In fact, iOS 18 is said to be the most significant update Apple has ever planned for its iPhone in history. Apple is all set for its annual developer conference WWDC 2024 in June and will unveil iOS 18 for everyone with the first release coinciding with the iPhone 16 launch. The new OS for iPhones - iOS 18 - is speculated to bring significant upgrades with AI features. 

iOS 18 is rumoured to bring a massive overhaul centred around Artificial Intelligence (AI). According to reports available, iOS 18 will be the biggest ever upgrade with a focus on AI. As Apple is already lagging behind a bit compared to Google or Samsung, iOS 18 will help it to take the big leap. But whatever it is Apple adds to iOS 18, AI-wise, Voice Memos app gets some attention, too. Voice Memos is crying out for more advanced capabilities. The voice recorder app has the potential to be one of the most essential built-in tools on your iPhone. Following are the details of  what iOS 18 might bring:-

Apple has equipped the app with some handy editing tools that make it easy to trim a recording on the iPhone's relatively limited screen space. But you compare it to similar apps on Pixel and Galaxy S phones — Recorder on the Pixel, Voice Recorder on Samsung's phones — and you see how Voice Memos could do so much more. You can transcribe your recordings on the Pixel and Samsung phones, with the Pixel even doing the transcribing on the fly. Both apps recognize and label when different speakers appear on recordings. And as of the Galaxy S24, Samsung's voice recorder can tap into AI to summarize what's on a recording. (That feature is extended to last year's major Samsung phones via the recent One UI 6.1 update.)

At a bare minimum, Apple needs to add a transcription capability to Voice Memos. Yes, plenty of third-party apps offer this functionality, but it seems like something that should be built directly into Apple's own offering. What's more, transcription should take entirely on the device, something you'd expect iPhones of recent vintage to have enough processing power to handle. It's not just a matter of converting audio to text, by the way. The transcript needs to be linked to the recording, so that if you tap on a particular word or sentence, you jump to that place in the audio. 

iPhone users might be able to ditch the limitations of iMessage and enjoy features like better video quality and read receipts when messaging Android users through RCS support.

You can expect AI integration across various iOS apps. Apple Music might curate personalised playlists, and stock apps like Mail and Notes could gain AI-powered features.

iOS 18 might deliver just like an Android phone. Rumours suggest the ability to create blank spaces and customise icon arrangement for a truly personalised experience.

Apple Maps could get more competitive with custom route planning and potentially topographic maps for outdoor enthusiasts.

The once-sluggish Siri is set for a major upgrade with large language models (LLMs) making it a true "ultimate virtual assistant" with improved conversation features and deeper Shortcuts integration.

Apple might also introduce "Adaptive Voice Shortcuts" and potentially adjustable font sizes across more apps with iOS 18. The AirPods Pro might even gain hearing aid functionality.

Apple hasn't officially confirmed which iPhones will be compatible with iOS 18, but rumours suggest a wide range of devices will be eligible, including many models from 2018 and later. This could potentially include the iPhone XS and XR, although that's less certain. With iOS 18, the push into AI will largely be Apple's attempt to make up for lost as it looks to catch up with the efforts of other companies. But if the purpose of an OS update it to add new capabilities and enhancements that make old apps feel like new, AI could deliver a lot of helpful functionalities. Notably, all the features are based on rumours, but if they hold true, iOS 18 could be a revolutionary update redefining the iPhone experience.