iOS 18

There are several months to go until Apple will introduce the iOS 18 operating system at the June 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, but there are some exciting updates coming that we're already hearing about.

With the growing consumer interest in generative artificial intelligence products like ChatGPT, Apple is expected to focus heavily on AI improvements in iOS 18. AI and machine learning updates may be seen for many apps and features, with Apple working on large language models to bolster in-app features.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested that iOS 18 could be a "relatively groundbreaking" software update with "major new features and designs," but there is little in the way of specific detail. Apple executives have supposedly described iOS 18 as "ambitious and compelling."

As with all iOS updates, iOS 18 will be accompanied by iPadOS 18, a version of iOS 18 with some features specific to the larger displays of Apple's tablet lineup.

Apple is said to be racing to catch up to companies that have an AI head start, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and OpenAI. Apple is spending more than $1 billion per year on AI research and the hardware needed to run large language models.

Apple is said to be planning to use AI in multiple ways in iOS 18, boosting many of its built-in apps. In Apple Music, for example, Apple could offer auto-generated Apple Music playlists, and apps like Pages and Keynote can offer AI-assisted writing and slide deck creation.

Some of the most cutting-edge AI features that Apple implements may be limited to the iPhone 16 models with their more powerful chips. If certain generative AI features are limited to on-device processing, they would likely be available only on the iPhone 16 models.

Apple is said to be still debating whether to limit generative AI to on-device or to deploy it via the cloud, as the on-device approach would be more secure and Apple tends to prioritize security. Apple could have a hybrid approach with some functionality in the cloud and some more sensitive data handled only on-device.

Apple is building AI servers in 2023 and 2024, and will be ready to deploy generative AI functionality in late 2024, which would line up with the September debut of iOS 18.

While Apple is focusing heavily on new features, executives at the company are still making sure that new additions work as expected. Apple in November paused all work on new features in iOS 18 in order to spend a week cleaning up bugs.

Siri will take advantage of the artificial intelligence improvements that Apple is bringing in iOS 18. One leaker has suggested that Apple is planning to use large-language models (LLMs) to entirely revamp Siri and turn it into the "ultimate virtual assistant."

LLMs are the driving force behind chatbots like ChatGPT, and they incorporate huge amounts of data and use algorithms to generate content based on that information.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that one of the specific features Apple is developing is an improved interaction between Siri and the Messages app, which would let Siri auto-complete sentences more effectively and answer complex questions.

According to The Information, Siri will gain deeper integration with the Shortcuts app, with users able to automate complex tasks. Siri, for example, might be able to take a series of five photos, turn them into a GIF, and send the resulting GIF to someone all with one command.

Apple "later in 2024" will adopt the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard as an alternative to SMS/MMS. iMessage isn't going anywhere for iPhone to iPhone conversations, but RCS will make iPhone to Android conversations better in myriad ways. Sending photos and videos to Android users from an iPhone will no longer result in errors, and group chats will have better performance. Features like cross-platform emoji reactions, read receipts, and real-time typing indicators will also be added.

• Support for higher resolution photos and videos.
• Support for larger file sizes and file sharing.
• Audio messages.
• Cross-platform emoji reactions.
• Real-time typing indicators.
• Read receipts.
• Ability to send messages over cellular or Wi-Fi (SMS is cellular only). There is no cost to send an RCS message over Wi-Fi.
• Improved group chats.

Apple hasn't provided specifics on when RCS will be adopted, but "later in 2024" suggests that it's going to come following the launch of iOS 18. Everything about RCS and what it means for iPhone users can be found in our RCS guide.

Ahead of the launch of iOS 17, rumors suggested Apple would implement sideloading in Europe due to regulations put in place by the European Union. That hasn't happened as of yet, so it is possible that Apple will make this change in iOS 18 instead.

We still have many months of iOS 17 to go, so sideloading could also be introduced in an iOS 17 update. Sideloading will allow iPhone users in Europe to install apps outside of the App Store using alternate app store options. Apple is only planning to implement sideloading in the European Union as this is where it is required.

App developers will still need to pay Apple fees, but will be able to offer apps that do not require payments through Apple's system.

iOS 18 will be previewed at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2024. After WWDC, iOS 18 will be made available to developers for testing purposes, with a public beta likely to come out sometime in July.

Following the beta testing period, iOS 18 will see a launch in September 2024 alongside new iPhones.