iOS 18 Features: Officials experienced with Apple’s plans for the major release of iOS 18 next year say it won’t be like current iPhone software upgrades. This year’s release of iOS 17 is indicative of the generally basic releases we’ve seen recently. Although that update included several noteworthy improvements, iOS 17 is better described as a fine-tuning that produced some new and improved features rather than a massive change. 

Experts familiar with Apple’s intentions for its upcoming phone upgrade cycle say that’s not the strategy the company is following with iOS 18. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, no less an authority, describes the iOS 18 upgrade as “even more critical than usual.” This is because the hardware improvements made to the iPhone 16 might not be as significant as those made to the iPhone 15 models this year, which featured an improved primary camera for the entry-level phone a new titanium body, and a more potent CPU for the iPhone 15 Pro variants.

AI seems to be a major tool for doing that, and it will likely play a major role in some of the enhancements that are slated for iOS 18. This puts Apple in a situation where it must respond to both Google, which centers the Pixel phone experience around AI capabilities, and Samsung, which is aiming to include AI features with the next Galaxy S24 launch.

Apple Ios 18 Potential Release Date

Given Apple’s consistent history of releasing iPhone software upgrades on time, we have a decent sense of what to anticipate from the debut of iOS 18, even if the firm doesn’t provide a timeline for these releases.

If historical performance is any indication, the first mention of iOS 18 will come during Apple’s 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, when the company will also be showcasing improvements to its Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch software. While a date for WWDC 2024 has not yet been announced, early June is typically when Apple hosts its developer conference.

At WWDC 2024, an iOS 18 development beta will be made accessible. A few weeks later, a public beta will be made available. In the past, iOS beta programs have operated continuously throughout the summer with regular upgrades for new features and bug fixes. All of this should come to a head soon before fall officially arrives, coinciding with the release of the iPhone 16 models in shops and the complete version of iOS 18 becoming available for download. 

Early in November, rumors circulated that Apple was putting a hold on iOS 18 development to fix flaws that had shown up during the software’s initial internal milestone release. It was anticipated that the halt would only last a week, so it would not affect Apple’s regular release timetable for iOS upgrades.

Apple Ios 18 Rumored Features

Speaking about specifics of what the iOS update will bring to the iPhone is way too early. However, a recurring element in the early rumors on Apple’s plans for iOS 18 is the emphasis on artificial intelligence as a key component of the update.

Many technology companies have released a plethora of AI-powered products in the last year, ranging from OpenAI’s ChatGPT to Google’s Bard chatbot and its Tensor G3-powered Pixel 8 flagships. Apple has mostly remained in the background, but it looks like that may change in the upcoming year, especially with the software that runs on its phones.

According to a story in The Information, Apple is reportedly spending a lot of money on conversational AI. The concept is that simple voice commands would allow iPhone users to automate multi-step operations. Consider it an enhanced iteration of Siri, your phone’s inbuilt digital assistant.

According to analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities, who is basing his prediction on the company’s intentions to construct AI servers to manage the anticipated workload, Apple is likely to introduce its own AI chatbot by the end of 2024. The timetable for late 2024 corresponds with when the iPhone 16 and iOS 18 are probably going to be released.

Apple’s AI initiatives might be advantageous for the iPhone 16, in particular. Leaker Revegnus announced on the social media platform that was then known as Twitter that Apple was repurposing large language modules (LLM) for its Siri. That implies that many of the AI functions on the current iPhones will be cloud-based; the iPhone 16 should, however, have the processing capacity to do such tasks on the device itself.

The A18 series of CPUs, which are expected to power the 2024 iPhone range, will probably power a lot of this. It is anticipated that all iPhone 16 models will be powered by an A18 system-on-a-chip, with the iPhone 16 Pro variants using the more potent silicon. Whichever model it is, it should have sufficient processing capacity to support any AI capabilities that Apple develops. This helps with speed and privacy as none of your searches or data will have to leave your iPhone.

Apple Ios 18 Supported Devices

Which existing iPhone models will be able to run iOS 18 and which will no longer get support has not been made official. Apple discontinued support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus this year with iOS 17, all of which were released in the fall of 2018. This is consistent with Apple’s practice of offering its phone users around five years of software and security support.

If Apple were to adhere to that five-year limit, phones produced in 2019 would no longer be supported by iOS 18. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max will reach their fifth anniversary as of autumn of next year, which means they will most likely no longer receive iOS upgrades.

Nevertheless, until Apple makes an announcement, we won’t know which phones are unquestionably supported. That often occurs in the middle of the WWDC iOS preview.

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