What new features will iOS 18 bring before Apple rolls out iOS 26

Apple Intelligence debuts on iPhone

iOS 18 introduces Apple Intelligence, a system-wide AI upgrade focused on helpfulness and privacy. Using Apple Silicon, it can summarize texts, rewrite messages, and generate images on-device.

Apple Intelligence integrates directly into apps like Mail, Notes, and Safari, giving users context-aware assistance. Apple prioritizes user privacy by processing most AI requests on-device or through secure cloud servers.

This launch represents Apple’s answer to the AI race led by Google and OpenAI, marking a major shift in how iPhones assist users day-to-day.

Customizable app icons and Home Screen

IOS 18 lets users freely customize app icons on the Home Screen for the first time. You can place icons anywhere, leaving gaps between them, and even change their colors or apply dark mode tints.

This update gives users more control over their iPhone’s appearance without needing third-party tools or jailbreaks. While Android has offered this freedom for years, iOS 18’s approach is designed to keep the look clean and Apple-polished.

It’s a long-awaited feature aimed at personalization enthusiasts.

Control Center gets a full redesign

The Control Center in iOS 18 receives its most significant overhaul since its introduction. Now organized into multiple pages, users can swipe through control groups like media playback, smart home settings, and connectivity toggles.

Controls are now fully customizable, and developers can create custom app toggles. The new layout supports resizing and rearranging tiles. Apple also moved the controls for the flashlight and camera from the Lock Screen to make room for more flexible quick access.

Messages gets scheduled sends and effects

The Messages app in iOS 18 adds several long-requested features. You can now schedule messages to send later, making reaching people at the right moment easier.

Text formatting options like bold, italics, and underline are now available, along with new text effects that animate individual words. These updates are available for both iMessage and SMS. Apple also improved tapbacks, allowing any emoji to be used as a reaction. These changes make iMessage feel more expressive and modern.

RCS support finally arrives

After years of industry pressure, Apple is adding RCS (Rich Communication Services) support to the iPhone with iOS 18. This means better messaging experiences when texting Android users, including higher-quality images and videos, read receipts, typing indicators, and improved group chats.

While RCS messages will still appear as green bubbles, the feature bridges many gaps that previously made Android-to-iPhone texting feel outdated. Apple’s support aligns with the GSMA standard and improves cross-platform communication without compromising user privacy.

A new Passwords app for better security

iOS 18 introduces a standalone Passwords app that consolidates all saved credentials, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes into one easy-to-navigate location. It syncs across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro via iCloud Keychain.

The app categorizes passwords by service, flags reused or weak credentials, and provides autofill for apps and websites. This makes managing login information more straightforward and secure, especially for users who don’t use third-party password managers.

It’s Apple’s most direct step yet toward improving digital security for all users.

Photos app gets advanced AI organization

The Photos app in iOS 18 has been redesigned to use AI for more innovative photo organization. It automatically categorizes your images by people, pets, trips, and events, and presents them in a new unified grid layout.

There’s a carousel view for recent memories and favorites. You can filter images directly within collections by type, like screenshots or videos. Apple also added a Clean Up tool to remove background distractions using on-device machine learning. These changes help users rediscover and declutter their photo libraries.

Genmoji brings AI emoji creation

iOS 18 adds a playful new feature, Genmoji, that lets users generate emojis using text prompts. For example, typing “a surfing avocado” produces a custom emoji in seconds. You can also turn photos of friends into emoji-style stickers.

These Genmoji can be used inline with text or added as stickers in Messages and other apps. They’re generated using Apple Intelligence and processed on-device for privacy. It’s a creative feature designed to expand emoji communication in a personal way.

Mail gets smart summaries and AI replies

The Mail app in iOS 18 now uses Apple Intelligence to improve how users handle emails. It can summarize long threads at the top of messages, highlight key takeaways, and suggest quick replies based on context.

These innovative tools reduce the time users spend reading or composing responses. Mail also gets better categorization for transactions, promotions, and newsletters. While none of this replaces your inbox, it helps prioritize the messages that matter most in a more intelligent way.

Siri becomes more conversational and useful

Siri is getting its most significant upgrade ever with iOS 18. Due to Apple Intelligence, it now understands natural language better, remembers recent context, and responds more accurately. You can type to Siri anytime or seamlessly switch between typing and voice.

Siri can also take deeper actions in apps, like finding a specific photo or adjusting app settings. The assistant will eventually gain ChatGPT integration for more complex queries, although this feature is opt-in and privacy-focused when launched.

Tap to Cash makes sending money easier

iOS 18 introduces Tap to Cash, a new feature in Apple Wallet that lets users send or receive Apple Cash by simply tapping two iPhones together. It uses the same underlying technology as AirDrop and doesn’t require sharing contact details.

This peer-to-peer payment option is secure and quick, designed for casual situations like splitting a bill or paying a friend. The feature builds on Apple Pay’s existing infrastructure but makes spontaneous money transfers in person convenient.

Accessibility adds Eye Tracking and Vocal Shortcuts

Apple is expanding accessibility in iOS 18 with two powerful new features. Eye Tracking uses the front-facing camera and machine learning to let users control their iPhone with just eye movement, no extra hardware needed.

Vocal Shortcuts allow users to trigger app actions or automations with custom voice commands. These additions support users with motor disabilities and offer new interaction modes for anyone. They reflect Apple’s long-term commitment to making devices usable for the widest range of people.

Notes app now supports audio transcripts

iOS 18 enhances the Notes app with live audio transcription and summarization. When you record audio in a note, Apple Intelligence can automatically transcribe it into text and even provide a summary.

This is especially useful for meetings, lectures, or brainstorming sessions. You can search through these transcripts like any other note. The feature is designed for privacy, with on-device processing as the default. This makes Notes more than just a text app—it becomes a reliable tool for voice-driven documentation.

Safari adds Highlights and page summaries

Safari in iOS 18 includes AI-powered features that help users digest online content faster. A new Highlights tool identifies key points on webpages, letting users quickly understand the most important parts without reading everything.

It also summarizes long articles into brief overviews and improves Reader mode by offering clean layouts with automatic summaries. These updates are powered by Apple Intelligence and designed to keep your browsing experience efficient and distraction-free while maintaining high standards for on-device privacy.

Offline and private AI processing explained

A core promise of Apple Intelligence in iOS 18 is that AI features prioritize privacy. Most AI requests are handled directly on the device using Apple Silicon. Apple uses a Private Cloud computing system that never stores your data or identity for tasks requiring more computing power.

This approach lets users benefit from generative AI tools without sacrificing privacy. Apple even made the system auditable by outside researchers. It’s part of a strategy to differentiate Apple’s AI from competitors that rely on massive cloud models.

Curious how offline and private AI will reshape your favorite apps? iOS 26 could let developers supercharge Apple Intelligence like never before.

iOS 18 still supports older iPhones

Despite all the new features, iOS 18 supports the same iPhones as iOS 17, including the newer iPhone XS. However, some Apple Intelligence features require A17 Pro or M-series chips, meaning they’re only available on iPhone 15 Pro models and newer.

While older devices get the visual and functional updates like Home Screen customization and Control Center redesign, the AI capabilities are reserved for higher-end hardware. This ensures performance remains smooth without compromising user experience on older phones.

Still rocking an older iPhone? iOS 18.5 has some hidden gems you’ll want to unlock. Check out these must-do setting tweaks.

Already tried iOS 18.5 on your device? Tell us which tweaks made the biggest difference for you in the comments.

Read More From This Brand:

• Perplexity AI Assistant Lands on iOS
• Apple May Delay Some iPhones for Foldable
• Gemini Might Join ChatGPT in Apple Intelligence

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.