Apple is all set to host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) from June 10 to June 14. More than 100 technical sessions are scheduled for this year's event, which starts today onwards at 10:30 PM (IST), with several crucial announcements expected during the keynote address. There is no doubt that Apple's plans are eagerly awaited in light of recent artificial intelligence initiatives by tech giants such as Microsoft and Google. With an emphasis on Al, the company is anticipated to announce upgrades for watchOS, macOS, and visionOS in addition to revealing novel features for iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. Here's all we expect from the upcoming iOS 18.
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Apple, contrary to its rivals, is anticipated to approach AI cautiously, bringing about small improvements rather than radical overhauls. Even with Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI making fast strides in AI, Apple has been rather silent on its AI approach. With an emphasis on delivering a more intuitive and customised user experience, Apple may use the integration of generative AI (GenAI), or "Apple Intelligence," as the centrepiece of iOS 18's new features.
Apple Intelligence will also be included in several other iOS 18 features. Al-powered suggestions will be available in the Messages app, assisting users in crafting more contextually appropriate responses and even auto-completing sentences based on the context of the conversation. To save users time and avoid having to read through extensive content, Al will also be able to summarise emails, webpages, and notifications.
Additional Al-driven enhancements, such as advanced image editing, object removal, and auto transcription of audio files, are anticipated for the Voice Memos and Photos apps. Furthermore, the ability to employ AI to design bespoke emojis may be one of the most interesting features.
With iOS 18, Apple's voice-activated assistant, Siri, may become even more useful. Siri was first introduced with iOS 5 in 2011. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple's digital assistant would be able to operate every feature within apps, allowing users to voice-activate specific tasks on several apps. According to the source, this function won't be available until 2025 and will be included in an iOS 18 update after that. Regenerative AI technology should soon 'improve how both Siri and the Messages app can field questions and auto-complete sentences,' says Gurman.
A unique degree of customisation for the iPhone Home Screen is expected to be available to customers with iOS 18. Users will be able to move widgets and app icons across the screen, which is a major change from earlier iterations of iOS. This allows users to do away with the fixed grid layout that has been a feature of the iPhone interface since its launch. Additionally, owners of iPhones will be able to change the colour of app icons across the board, providing a further layer of visual personalisation. According to industry rumours, the dark mode may eventually make its way to the Home Screen.
iOS 18 will also introduce a revamped Control Centre that includes an improved music widget and enhanced HomeKit integration. Besides this, users may be able to use Face ID to lock each app separately. A custom route creation feature in Apple Maps that lets users plan and save personalised routes for their favourite trips is one of the other noteworthy updates. Another is a redesigned Settings app that has better organisation and search features that make it simpler to navigate the increasingly complicated array of options and preferences available on the latest iPhone models.
iOS 18 is expected to bring along a couple of other noteworthy changes targeted at enhancing security and communication in addition to the improvements centred around Al. One of the most significant is the addition of RCS (Rich Communication Services) functionality for messaging between iPhone and Android devices. Regarded as a long-overdue improvement to the conventional SMS and MMS protocols, RCS provides iMessage-like functionalities for cross-platform conversations, including typing indicators, read receipts, and high-quality media sharing. It is anticipated that this move will significantly improve the texting experience for iPhone users who frequently converse with owners of Android devices.
The Passwords app, which is a significant addition to iOS 18, is a centralised hub for managing login credentials for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows devices. With this app, users will find it simpler to create, save, and automatically fill in strong passwords, lowering the possibility of data breaches and enhancing device security in general. To provide users greater flexibility and control over their conversations, the Messages app will also get updates. These changes will include the ability to schedule messages to be sent at a later time and respond to messages with any emoji.
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The event will be streamed live online through Apple's official website, Apple TV app, Apple Developer app, and YouTube channel. The keynote will be available for on-demand watching following the live stream.
