Apple will reveal a series of new features at the opening of WWDC 2024, a conference scheduled for the day June 10. The event should include updates on the company’s platforms, services and devices, bringing together press, fans and developers.
One of the most anticipated topics for this year’s edition is iOS 18, the next version of the iPhone’s operating system. The update is considered one of the most important and radical in history, with additions to several different applications and environments.
But what do the rumors and clues released by the company itself already say about iOS 18? We’ve separated some of the most relevant additions planned or speculated to appear soon on Apple smartphones.
Generative AI and more smart tools
Artificial intelligence (AI) will be one of the most discussed topics throughout the conference. Apple CEO Tim Cook has confirmed more than once that the company is working on its own and partner tools to “revolutionize” the use of the iPhone.
One of the approaches adopted by Maçã is the addition of generative AIs to iOS. In this case, there are two possibilities: your own chatbot made from scratch or the provision of partner services. Maçã was in negotiations with OpenAI and Google to include ChatGPT and Gemini, respectively.
Tim Cook. (Image: Getty Images)Source: GettyImages
According to journalist Mark Gurman, from Bloombergthe resources will all be realized by a language model from within the devicewithout depending on an internet connection or a platform connected to the cloud.
The one who can benefit from all of this is Siri. The iPhone’s personal assistant must be “turbocharged” with new resources based on AI. Additionally, iOS may also have personalized chatbots for simpler tasks. This feature is already being tested for corporate use, helping human employees during technical assistance.
More customizable home screen
iOS 18 should bring customization that is apparently simple, but has never been available on the iPhone. This is the possibility of customize the arrangement of app icons on the home screen of the cell phone.
The possible new iOS 18 home screen. (Image: Disclosure/MacRumors)Source: MacRumors
That way, the user can leave “spaces” in rows or columns without apps, helping to organize similar services or services from the same company. By default, the icons are currently all ordered side by side.
Support for RCS messages
After a lot of struggle, Apple finally agreed Make iPhone compatible with RCS text messaging format. The technology is seen as an evolution of SMS in content complexity and security, but it was deprecated on Apple’s cell phone to only force the use of iMessage.
RCS is a multimedia and multi-format format. (Image: Disclosure/Google Blog)Source: Google Blog
It was this incompatibility that differentiated, for example, the green and blue balloons between iPhone and Android users. The protocol should be incorporated into iOS 18, to the happiness of rival Google — one of the biggest defenders of the RCS standard and critical of its rival’s attitudes.
Assistant in Safari
The default iOS browser should also receive a new feature in iOS 18. According to the developer https://twitter.com/nicolas09F9/status/1778043763660591579the application code now has a function called “Navigation Assistant”. What it does is still a mystery, but its usefulness may be related to AI.
Improvements to Apple Maps
Apple maps will gain at least two major additions in iOS 18. One of them is the possibility of create custom routesselecting your own paths to a destination.
Apple Maps. (Image: Disclosure/Apple)Source: Apple
The other new feature is the presence of topographic maps, with more detailed information involving trails, altitude and possible points of interest. This feature is mainly useful while hiking and hiking.
The new Apple ID
A Apple ID is the account currently used to access the company’s most different services, from iCloud to the iPhone itself. According to journalist Mark Gurman, however, the name of this resource should change this year.
The tool will be called Apple Account. Apart from the nomenclature change, it can become more intuitive and concentrate more accounts, in addition to improved security features.
turbocharged notes
The Notes app could improve a lot on iOS 18. According to the Apple Insider website, the service for annotating drafts and texts in general will gain support for voice messages. They can be added within a text document or listened to separately.
Notas already allows several other content formats in addition to text. (Image: Disclosure/App Store)Source: App Store
Furthermore, it will be capable of performing simple mathematical operations, in an integration with Calculator. This way, it will be possible to do quick calculations without having to leave the note.
Adding more emojis
Every iOS update also means adding new emoji, which are approved annually by an organization that helps standardize these illustrations. The 2024 version should be no different, with a queue of symbols ready to debut.
Some of them have already appeared in iOS 17.4, such as the phoenix, mushroom and broken chain emoji. However, the new version should add even more ways for you to communicate on messengers and social networks.
What about parallel stores?
A new feature that the public should not expect is the ability to download apps from other stores. This feature will only be available to users in the European Union, a region with stricter anti-monopoly laws.
The company has even started modifying the system to allow apps to be downloaded via the web, but this feature will have several restrictions. In the rest of the world, the public only uses the App Store as a store for games and utilities.
