Given that every major iOS update from iOS 6 onwards has begun rolling out between September 13 and September 20 of its release year, iOS 18 will most likely arrive around mid-September 2024 based on previous performance.
iOS 18 Release Date
Experts anticipate that Apple will present iOS 18 at WWDC 2024, as the yearly developer conference often offers sneak peeks at all of the major software updates that occur later in the year. We now know the date of the event: June 10, WWDC 2024. The main event will begin with a keynote speech at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.
- iOS 18 developer beta – Expected June 10 release at WWDC
- iOS 18 public beta – Expected between the end of June and mid-July
- iOS 18 public release – Expected in mid to late September
An iOS 18 development beta is expected to be released at WWDC 2024, with the public beta following a few weeks later. In the past, iOS beta programs have operated continuously throughout the summer with regular updates for new features and bug fixes.
All of this should come to a head soon before autumn officially arrives, coinciding with the release of the iPhone 16 models in shops and the complete version of iOS 18 being available for download. That usually happens in the middle of September 2024.
iOS 18 New Features
iOS 18 will place a significant emphasis on machine learning and artificial intelligence, along with AI-powered features for its best-selling applications. Everyone agrees that Apple lags well behind Google and other businesses in the AI space, so it makes sense to expect significant advancements in iOS 18.
iOS 18 code-named “Crystal” is already being hailed by industry insiders as the largest upgrade in iOS history, chief among them being Mark Gurman of Bloomberg.
It’s almost time for iOS to catch up since the unexpected rise of generative AI took Apple off surprise. Gurman claims that Apple will follow Google and Samsung in processing the majority of AI queries on-device.
On the other hand, analyst and industry insider Jeff Pu is also placing a wager that Apple requires a “generative AI” upgrade, and that update will be iOS 18.
The expert is certain that most of the new features in iOS 18 will be AI enhancements for Siri (and precisely as we anticipated). Pu asserts that to serve as the foundation for the next AI push, the firm is already significantly investing in AI servers and plans to develop a few hundred more in 2024.
Customizable Interface in iOS 18
According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, iOS 18 will be a significant improvement in terms of customizability for the home screen. The informed source claims that iOS 18 may provide iPhone customers with much greater flexibility in terms of personalizing their home displays.
According to One upcoming feature would enable an iPhone user’s device to generate personalised emojis depending on the text message content. This will enable iPhone users to have, in addition to the standard selection of emojis, a custom emoji at their fingertips for every circumstance.
Users of iPhones will be able to freely move app icons about the screen, preferably while seated, in addition to being able to alter their color. Moving away from the grid-based system that has existed for, well, forever, will be an extraordinary step.
iOS 18 Compatibility and Supported Devices
One of the biggest questions surrounding any new iOS release is which devices will support it. Apple typically supports devices for several years, but older models eventually get phased out.
For iOS 18, it’s expected that devices such as the iPhone 11 series and newer, as well as recent iPads, will be compatible. However, older models like the iPhone X and earlier may not support iOS 18 due to hardware limitations.
iOS 18 Extra accessibility settings
Apple proactively revealed some accessibility enhancements that would be included to iOS 18 later this year as part of World Accessibility Day 2024. The following new features, which Cupertino formally unveiled, will be included in iOS 18:
- Vocal Shortcuts: Users will be able to give Siri special, personalized phrases to serve as triggers for already-existing shortcuts. You may tell Siri to go into low power mode, for instance, by stating, “I’m running out of juice.”
- Atypical speech recognition: With this feature, individuals with stroke, ALS, or cerebral palsy will be able to communicate with their iPhones more effectively and more naturally via voice commands.
- Eye tracking: This function, which also tries to assist those who have trouble speaking, basically lets you use your eyes alone to operate your gadget. Eye Tracking may be quickly set up and calibrated using the front-facing camera. All machine learning needed for this tool is stored locally on the device and is not shared with Apple.