We’re nonetheless just a few months away from Apple’s June Worldwide Builders Convention (WWDC), the place it would undoubtedly reveal the iPhone’s subsequent main software program replace, besides, we’ve already seen quite a lot of rumors about iOS 18 and what we are able to count on from it.
If even a few of these rumors are true, we might see an enormous change in the best way Apple handles the iPhone’s exclusivity. Not solely that, however we would additionally see synthetic intelligence on an iPhone for the primary time ever.
After all, all of those are solely rumors and hypothesis, so you need to all the time take these with a grain of salt. It’s nonetheless a bit too early to know what Apple will really implement however you may learn on for six issues which are possible coming in iOS 18.
RCS Is Coming to Your iPhone
RCS, also referred to as Wealthy Communication Companies, is a normal messaging system that expands conventional SMS/MMS texting to work extra like iMessage. Which means you could textual content, make telephone calls, and ship high-definition movies and footage to almost anybody with a comparatively fashionable smartphone.
The factor about RCS, although, is that up till this level, Apple hasn’t supported it on the iPhone. This makes chatting with Android gadgets really feel outdated and even a bit annoying, particularly while you examine it to chatting with one other iPhone consumer through iMessage.
Happily, it’s been confirmed by Apple that the corporate will lastly convey RCS to the iPhone in 2024. Which means we’ll possible see it seem when Apple debuts iOS 18 in June, though it will not be absolutely purposeful till the general public launch later this yr.
Having RCS assist will mainly flip the common Messages app into an prompt messaging app like WhatsApp. You’ll be capable of chat together with your Android buddies, in addition to ship them footage and voice messages, and even create group chats.
Get Prepared for Apple’s Generative Synthetic Intelligence
AI has been extremely common lately, and it’s positively modified the best way we use our computer systems and iPhones. And due to how accessible and common it’s grow to be, extra tech corporations are getting their telephones prepared with AI assist.
Samsung is a superb instance. The corporate’s newest Samsung Galaxy S24 fashions present how AI may help you with on a regular basis duties, like enhancing footage, getting extra details about something that’s in your display, and even summarizing your notes for you.
With this enormous AI pattern, Apple doesn’t need to be left behind. In line with Mark Gurman, a widely known Apple analyst from Bloomberg, Apple is already engaged on generative synthetic intelligence.
Whereas we don’t know precisely how that is going to work, we already know that Apple will add AI assist for Siri — which we’ll discuss in a second — in addition to different apps like Messages and Apple Music.
For example, you would possibly be capable of use AI that can assist you write an necessary essay or get a presentation prepared with the assistance of Apple’s Pages app. You could possibly additionally get customized playlists in Apple Music with out having to do any work your self.
Siri Is (Lastly) Getting Smarter
With the addition of synthetic intelligence, it’s rumored Apple additionally has plans to make Siri smarter.
Granted, Siri is nice for some fundamental duties, however in the event you’ve used Apple’s digital assistant earlier than, it’s removed from good.
Happily, with AI, Siri might grow to be what we’ve all the time needed: an clever and helpful digital assistant.
Rumor has it that Siri in iOS 18 might really feel like utilizing ChatGPT. Which means that as a substitute of simply dictating a message for Siri to write down, you could possibly give Siri a immediate and it could write the whole message for you.
Furthermore, Siri is also higher at suggesting which apps you would possibly need to use throughout the day. For example, Siri couldn’t solely counsel that you just write how your day went on the journal app but in addition write the journal entry for you.
Granted, we’ll nonetheless have to see how clever Siri will grow to be, however these rumors positively make us enthusiastic about the way forward for everybody’s favourite digital assistant.
Sideloading Will Be Out there on Some iPhones
One other factor that iOS 18 would possibly allow you to do as soon as it hits your iPhone is sideloading.
In the event you’ve all the time been an iPhone consumer, you won’t know a lot about sideloading, however what it does is allow you to set up apps to your machine with out utilizing the working system’s official app retailer.
For example, if you wish to obtain Fortnite in your iPhone proper now, you may’t discover it within the App Retailer. With sideloading obtainable, you could possibly simply go to Fortnite’s official web site and obtain and set up the app instantly from there.
Android gadgets have been in a position to do that for fairly a while now, though they nonetheless default to utilizing Google’s Play Retailer, requiring customers to take just a few further steps in the event that they need to allow this function. That’s as a result of, whereas it’s nice to have the ability to obtain apps from anyplace, it may additionally be dangerous as a result of these apps aren’t checked by an official app retailer, so you could possibly find yourself with viruses or malware put in in your machine accidentally.
Sideloading comes with its personal advantages and disadvantages, however because of the EU, Apple has been pressured so as to add sideloading assist on iOS — a minimum of in a restricted style.
The truth is, Apple is planning so as to add assist for different app marketplaces in iOS 17.4 subsequent month — however solely within the 27 nations that make up the European Union, the place it’s required to take action below the EU’s new Digital Markets Act.
That received’t be full sideloading, as you’ll nonetheless should get your apps by third-party shops which are authorized by Apple, but it surely does open the door a minimum of a crack; it stays to be seen if the EU will agree with Apple’s method or pressure it to go additional.
Sure, Apple received’t go down with no combat, however we’ll want to attend and see if and when Apple lastly releases full assist for sideloading sooner or later.
Will iOS 18 Be Much less Buggy This Time Round?
Whether or not it’s the iPhone or every other machine, you’re sure to search out some bugs and points when a brand new software program replace is offered.
Nevertheless, when iOS 17 dropped final fall, there have been so many bugs that Apple reportedly stopped iOS 18 improvement so its folks might give attention to fixing iOS 17’s points.
Despite the fact that there aren’t many rumors about this, it’s extremely possible that Apple is attempting to make issues extra secure the subsequent time round. Which means that iOS 18 may be much less buggy than earlier software program updates we’ve seen lately.
When Will iOS 18 Drop?
Apple hasn’t made any official bulletins but, however we have already got a reasonably clear concept as to when iOS 18 shall be obtainable.
For starters, Apple all the time releases a brand new software program replace’s first beta model round June, often just a few hours after it finishes introducing it throughout its WWDC keynote.
Launching this beta provides builders and followers alike the prospect to attempt a few of the new options earlier than the general public model of iOS 18 lastly launches. Nevertheless, early developer betas are sometimes extraordinarily buggy — they’re supposed for builders, in any case. Apple sometimes releases its first public beta in early July, giving keen early adopters a possibility to check out a extra secure pre-release model.
Apple often launches each the iPhone and the iOS software program replace across the identical time, so we’re anticipating to see the general public model of iOS 18 someday round September 2024, proper after Apple launches the iPhone 16 lineup.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]