iOS 18 Launch Date

 iOS 18: Timeline for release of The ‘Biggest-Ever’ iPhone Update     

Apple's next-generation operating system for iPhone and iPad, in developer beta now and launching in the fall. Coming in September 2024, iOS 18 is set to be a major update to the iPhone and iPad with new customization options, generative AI features, Siri improvements, and more. Following are the some of the important features:-

New Home Screen and Control Center customizations

Revamped Photos app

Mail improvements

Text effects and custom "Genmoji" in Messages

RCS support

Apple has a lot riding on its next generation of iPhone software, iOS 18. It’s full of redesigns and upgrades from live transcriptions of Voice Notes to the marquee feature, Apple Intelligence. It’s been described as the biggest-ever iOS update in Apple’s history. Though it’s usually hardware that grabs attention, it’s thought that the new software could drive sales of the iPhone 16 series hard, too. Remember that if your iPhone can run iOS 17, it will be able to run iOS 18 as well, though some advanced features will be restricted to later models and Apple Intelligence will run only on this fall’s crop of iPhones plus the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

If you’re a developer, you’ll doubtless be testing iOS 18 right now. You’ll also have access to iOS 18.1, released in parallel. It’s there because the first glimpses of Apple Intelligence are in iOS 18.1. Developers can see the fifth beta of iOS 18 and the first of iOS 18.1. The rest of us can access the public beta of iOS 18, currently in its third beta, which is the same as developer beta 5. Note that although the public beta seems stable, you’d be well-advised not to put it on your main driver: betas typically drain battery faster and some apps won’t work yet. To install, go to beta.apple.com and accept the terms and conditions. Then your iPhone will have an option in Settings to install the public beta.

iOS 18 Timeline

Unveiled at WWDC 2024 in June, iOS 18 is the next-generation version of iOS, set to be released to the public in September. iOS 18 is built around Apple Intelligence, which is what Apple is calling its AI feature set that's deeply integrated into iOS. Apple Intelligence combines generative AI with personal context, and Apple calls it "AI for the rest of us." Apple Intelligence improves writing across the operating system, makes Siri much smarter, and allows for multiple forms of content generation. A set of Writing Tools will be available across all apps for rewriting, polishing, proofreading and summarizing text. You can change your tone, make your writing more concise, and ensure there are no spelling or grammar errors. The big question is when the fully-fledged, final version of iOS 18 will land. There are some broad brush strokes we can be sure of and more details that are harder to pin down. All are guess work. From the iPhone 5 onwards, every iPhone has been released in September (apart from 2020 when the hardware was delayed into October due Covid issues). Every iPhone 16 series handset will come with iOS 18 pre-loaded. So, we can deduce that September is when the software will arrive for everyone. Beyond that, we need another piece of information: the release date of the iPhone 16. Which may be a Friday, 20 September. For the last three years, Apple has put the new software on general release five days before the onsale date of the new iPhone. That would mean Monday, September 16 is when Apple iOS 18 will be on general release. 

If we discuss different features one by one, then the list is long but we would take on the important ones. An Image Playground app lets you generate images using prompts or Apple's suggestions and themes. You can incorporate pictures of your friends and family to make all kinds of fun custom photos in styles which include Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Image Playground image generation is built into Messages, Notes, and other apps. In the Photos app, you can create custom Memories by typing in a description, with Apple Intelligence choosing appropriate photos and videos based on your description. Memories include a storyline, included music, and chapters for a full narrative arc. A Clean Up tool can be used when editing images to remove unwanted objects from the background of a photo.

Siri better understands language, can keep track of what you asked in a prior request, and knows what's on your screen so you can ask about it. Siri can search your entire device for information and knows your history, so it is prepared to help you with all your everyday tasks. There's a Genmoji feature in the Messages app that lets you create any emoji you want without being limited to the built-in options. You can enter a short description of what you want, even including your friends, and Apple will make it for you. Apple entirely overhauled Siri with Apple Intelligence, creating an assistant that is more contextually relevant, personal, and natural. You can use voice commands with Siri, but there's also a new type to Siri option you can activate with a double tap on the bottom of the display. Siri has more personal context for fulfilling requests, and can take actions in apps for the first time. Siri can edit photos, manage files, create folders and tons more.

Apple gave Siri a new look, and when the personal assistant is activated, there's now a glowing ring around the display. Siri also has deep Apple product knowledge and can give you step-by-step instructions on whatever you need to do, so it's like having an Apple Genius in your pocket. When Siri doesn't know something, there's an option to bring in OpenAI's ChatGPT for your requests. ChatGPT is free, gets no info from you, and can be used for creating and illustrating content from scratch.

In addition to the AI features, there are a ton of other additions that are not AI related and are available on a much wider range of iPhones. There are new customization options for the Home Screen, with the option to rearrange apps and widgets with open spaces and around wallpapers. Icons and widgets can be made larger and have a darker option for dark mode, plus there's an option to add a colour tint. Apple Intelligence is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models and iPads and Macs with an M-series chip, and that's because much of the processing is done on-device for privacy purposes and to keep user data safe. Apple cloud servers running on Apple silicon are used for more intensive tasks. Apple promises that its Private Cloud Compute feature does not store data or make it accessible to Apple in any way.

Apple redesigned Control Centre and made it so everything can be rearranged to put what you use most front and centre, with customized sizes and groups. A controls gallery lets you add all kinds of new quick actions, including controls from third-party apps. Control Centre can also be split into multiple screens, so you can have dedicated sections for HomeKit, media playback, connectivity, and more, with the option to swipe between them. Apple updated the Photos app, merging the Library and For You tabs into a simplified view that focuses on surfacing your best photos and memories. With Collections, it's easy to find photos organized by themes like recent days, trips, and people and pets. Collections can be pinned for quick access to your most used content.

The Flashlight and Camera icons on the Lock Screen are part of the Control Centre in iOS 18 and can be swapped for other controls or removed entirely, plus controls can also be assigned to the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro models. The Messages app supports scheduling texts for the first time, and the Tapback feature that you use to react to texts now supports any emoji. Text effects can be added to a word, phrase, or emoji and formatting like bold and italic is available. iOS 18 will see Apple transition from SMS/MMS to Rich Communication Services or RCS for green bubble text, which will result in better messaging experiences with Android users. Later in 2024, Mail will adopt on-device categorization with sections like promotions, transactions, and personal email, and there is a new digest view that aggregates all of the relevant emails from a business for a full look at correspondence.

If you don't have a cellular or a Wi-Fi connection, you can still text family and friends using Messages via satellite on the iPhone 14 and later. It connects to nearby satellites and works with texts, emoji and Tapbacks. You can text iPhone users with iMessage or Android users with SMS, but only iMessages are end-to-end encrypted. There are Highlights in Safari which surface key information about a webpage like a summary of an article, the location of a restaurant, or access to a map on a webpage for a shop. Reader mode has been upgraded with a summary and table of contents. The Notes app supports live audio recording and transcription, along with Math Notes that can automatically solve equations and expressions.

Apple added a Game Mode which minimizes background activity to ensure all of your processing power goes to the game you're playing, plus it cuts down on latency from game controllers and AirPods, with AirPods also gaining support for Personalized Spatial Audio for gaming. Maps now includes topographic maps and trail networks, including detailed maps of all 63 US national parks. Hikes can be saved for offline access, and you can create custom walking and hiking routes. With a Tap to Cash feature, you can tap your iPhone to another iPhone to send money over Apple Cash without having to share your phone number or other personal information. Apple Pay supports paying with rewards and with installment plans offered by some credit cards, plus event tickets have been redesigned in Wallet to include maps, information about the venue, and more.

Apple improved privacy in iOS 18, and it's now possible to lock any app, requiring Face ID or Touch ID to open it even when your iPhone is unlocked. You can also hide an app, which removes it from the Home Screen and tucks it away in a hidden folder in the App Library that can't be accessed without authentication. Apps that are locked or hidden won't send notifications and aren't available in search. AirPods Pro 2 in iOS 18 support a new gesture-based Siri response option, so you can shake your head for no or nod for yes. If you get a call, you can shake your head to decline, for example. Apple is also adding Voice Isolation so you can better tune out background noise. Apps which ask for contacts can now be granted access to just select contacts, hiding access to your full contact list. Apple has also added a new method for connecting third-party accessories without letting an app see other devices on the network.

The Passwords section in Settings is now a whole Passwords app which stores iCloud Keychain logins and passwords. The Passwords app supports passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, verification codes, and more. Passwords can be accessed on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows PCs. iOS 18 is available to both developers and public beta testers, with a launch planned for the fall alongside new iPhone models. Apple Intelligence will not be available in the initial iOS 18 software release, and will instead be included in an iOS 18.1 update. Apple Intelligence is the name for the set of artificial intelligence features that are in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, powered by machine learning and large language models. Apple Intelligence is deeply integrated into Apple's latest operating systems, providing new capabilities across a range of apps. Apple Intelligence is being beta tested in iOS 18.1 as of right now, with the beta available to developers.