iOS 18 rumours: What to expect from the next major iPhone software

It wasn't each that agelong agone that iOS 17 landed connected iPhone models, but determination are already a fig of rumours surrounding what is adjacent for iPhone successful presumption of hardware and software. We are covering disconnected the hardware rumours for iPhone 16 separately, but present we are looking astatine what has been said astir the upcoming features for iPhone's software.

The adjacent large bundle merchandise is expected to beryllium iOS 18 and by the sounds of it, we tin expect a absorption connected AI - thing we person seen plentifulness of chatter astir of precocious from the likes of Google, ChatGPT, Microsoft and Qualcomm. This is everything we person heard astir iOS 18, including erstwhile we mightiness expect it, what features it mightiness connection and what iPhones are expected to beryllium compatible.

iOS 18 merchandise day

When is iOS 18 expected to travel out?

Assuming Apple follows the aforesaid merchandise signifier arsenic it has done for the past mates of years, we are expecting to perceive much authoritative accusation astir iOS 18 during the company's Worldwide Developer Conference successful mid-2024. Typically, WWDC - arsenic it is often referred to - takes spot successful aboriginal June, oregon astatine slightest it has done for the past fewer years.

The main keynote wherever Apple reveals caller features for each its adjacent large bundle releases for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV usually takes places connected the archetypal Monday of the event. For 2024, this could either beryllium 3 June oregon 10 June if the aforesaid timeline is followed, with nary authoritative details apt to beryllium shared until astir March 2024.

Of course, WWDC is lone erstwhile Apple details the upcoming features of the adjacent mentation of iOS, with the last physique of the bundle not usually disposable until the pursuing September, astir the motorboat of the caller iPhone models. A nationalist beta has been made disposable astir July for the past mates of years and if this is the lawsuit for 2024 - which we expect it to beryllium - past that is apt to beryllium the archetypal clip you'll beryllium capable to effort immoderate of the caller iOS 18 features. For now, thing is confirmed but our champion conjecture for present would beryllium arsenic follows:

• March 2024: WWDC dates announced
• June 2024: iOS 18 features revealed astatine WWDC
• July 2024: Public beta of iOS 18 released
• September 2024: Final iOS 18 bundle released

iOS 18 features

What features are rumoured to beryllium coming for iOS 18?

So far, the rumours surrounding iOS 18 are a small bladed connected the ground, though they each look to beryllium targeting the aforesaid message: AI.

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg - who typically has a bully way grounds with Apple leaks - has said iOS 18 is "more captious than usual" arsenic the institution races to "catch up with Google and OpenAI successful generative AI". He went connected to adhd that "iOS 18 is poised to bring specified exertion to the iPhone" and that it has to beryllium a decent upgrade to counteract the deficiency of hardware advances expected for the iPhone 16 models.

Gurman has said iOS 18 is expected to boast "major caller features and designs", arsenic good arsenic "security and show improvements" and helium claimed sources wrong Apple person called the upcoming operating strategy "ambitious and compelling".

No circumstantial details person been revealed by Gurman arsenic yet however, different than to accidental that generative AI - the benignant of AI that ChatGPT and Copilot usage - volition travel to iOS 18. He besides mentioned that it should "improve however some Siri and the Messages app tin tract questions and auto-complete sentences", and says that Apple has been investigating generative AI features with different apps too, similar Apple Music and Pages.

Elsewhere, it has been rumoured that Apple is investing successful AI servers and it's besides rumoured that the institution is readying connected incorporating ample connection models into Siri. This is what ChatGPT is trained connected for example, and it would, successful theory, let Siri to respond much similar a human. There's speech of a deeper integration with the Shortcuts app for example, which could mean that Siri would beryllium capable to automatically implicit immoderate of the much analyzable tasks you tin setup successful Shortcuts. There are besides examples similar asking a GIF to beryllium created from your past 5 photos, for example, though we fishy determination volition beryllium different usage cases too, hopefully similar Google's Magic Editor.

In presumption of different features, Apple has confirmed that it volition support RCS messaging, which should present a amended cross-platform messaging acquisition erstwhile utilizing iMessage. Currently, bluish bubbles - which look erstwhile you're messaging iPhone to iPhone - let for features similar work receipts and typing indicators. When idiosyncratic with an Android instrumentality sends a substance connection to an iPhone, a greenish bubble appears with the accusation and that's it. No fancy features. RCS enactment should alteration this, and it's expected that enactment volition get with iOS 18.

What iPhones are expected to beryllium compatible with iOS 18?

As with everything other here, it's not yet known what iPhones volition beryllium compatible with iOS 18. We tin speculate, of course, but we won't cognize with immoderate certainty which models volition beryllium compatible until WWDC 24. With iOS 17 dropping enactment for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X - each of which were released successful 2017 - it is imaginable it volition beryllium the 2018 models connected the chopping artifact for iOS 18.

If that is the case, the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR won't beryllium compatible. It is besides imaginable that with rather a large chopped for iOS 17, Apple volition springiness those older devices different twelvemonth of beingness earlier they get the chop.

For now, we fishy the pursuing models volition beryllium compatible with iOS 18:

• iPhone 15
• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 14
• iPhone 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11
• iPhone SE (2022)
• iPhone SE (2020)

iOS 18 rumours: What's happened truthful far?

Apple

Here are each the rumours we person heard astir iOS 18 truthful far, successful bid of erstwhile they person been said.

16 November 2023: The iPhone is getting RCS messaging support, here's what that means for you

It was announced successful November 2023 that Apple would beryllium bringing enactment for RCS successful 2024. "Later adjacent year, we volition beryllium adding enactment for RCS Universal Profile, the modular arsenic presently published by the GSM Association. We judge the RCS Universal Profile volition connection a amended interoperability acquisition erstwhile compared to SMS oregon MMS. This volition enactment alongside iMessage, which volition proceed to beryllium the champion and astir unafraid messaging acquisition for Apple users," an Apple spokesperson told Techradar.

22 October 2023: Apple has large plans for AI

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported that Apple is readying connected adding AI to its adjacent iOS update. Gurman said: "The caller features should amended however some Siri and the Messages app tin tract questions and auto-complete sentences, mirroring caller changes to competing services."

29 September 2023: Apple's Tim Cook says the institution is moving connected utilizing generative AI

In an interrogation with Forbes, Tim Cook said: "We've been moving connected generative AI for years and person done a batch of research." He added: "And we're going to attack it truly thoughtfully and deliberation astir it deeply, due to the fact that we're afloat alert of the not-good uses that it tin have, and the issues astir bias and hallucination and truthful forth. You know, we've ne'er felt an urgency to beryllium first, we’ve ever felt an urgency to beryllium best, and that is however we spell into this arsenic well."

6 September 2023: Apple boosts spending to make conversational AI

The Information reported that Apple was moving connected processing AI that "allows iPhone customers to usage elemental dependable commands to automate tasks involving aggregate steps".

19 July 2023: Apple said to beryllium moving connected AI tools to vie with OpenAI and Google

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported that Apple was moving connected artificial quality tools that could vie with the likes of ChatGPT. The instauration is said to beryllium referred to arsenic Ajax and the chatbot work is being called Apple GPT by immoderate engineers, it is said.