Apple iOS 18: What You Need To Know (Before You Update)

What’s NEW In iOS 18? Let’s Break It All Down…

Apple Intelligence: The Main Event

Whether you’re on the fence about AI or not, Apple Intelligence is here to stay (at lease for users in the USA, anyway).

Billions of dollars went into developing it and, based on Apple’s near-constant name-dropping of it for the past 12 months, it’s a feature that is going to become more and more apparent inside Apple products. 

Is it useful? Yes. Is it going to change the way you interact with your phone? That depends.

Early adopters will, of course, go to town on its new features and capabilities, hawking its myriad new capabilities on TikTok and YouTube. But I suspect a lot of people will just carry on as always, letting Apple Intelligence do its thing as and when they need it. 

What sets it apart – in my humble opinion – is its focus on user experience and the way it is integrated across iOS and, by proxy, your overall iPhone experience.

What Apple Intelligence Does

There’s been so much made of AI in the past two years, it is becoming harder and harder to tell whether it is actually useful or just another way for publicly traded Big Tech firms to stay profitable for another decade.

To the untrained eye, all AI seems to do is make deep fake videos, produce dull-as-dishwater web content, and ruin search engines (like Google).

I kind of get the impression that Apple sensed this when developing Apple Intelligence which is why it is more focussed towards integrating with your phone and what you actually do on it, rather than making a jack-of-all-trades thing like ChatGPT or Claude.

Here are some of the key features:

• Smarter Notifications: It helps prioritize and summarize your notifications, filtering through the noise to bring you what’s most important. Group messages, for example, can be summarized quickly so you don’t have to scroll endlessly.
• Writing Tools: Apple Intelligence can assist in rewriting emails, changing the tone, summarizing long texts, and proofreading, making it easier to communicate clearly and effectively without needing third-party apps.
• Image Creation: Whether you’re doodling in Notes or Freeform, Apple Intelligence can turn your rough sketches into refined images using the Image Wand. You can also generate custom “Genmoji” for conversations, offering more creative ways to express yourself.
• Contextual Awareness: One of its standout features is the ability to tailor suggestions and actions based on what’s happening on your device—your calendar, contacts, and even what’s currently on your screen. This personal touch makes tasks faster and more intuitive.

The Benefits of Apple Intelligence

I think the main benefit of Apple Intelligence, based on what I know about it and what Apple has said, is that it will help to get more people accustomed to using AI to expedite boring tasks.

The security thing is a concern; Apple says it doesn’t share anything with OpenAI. But the entire AI market is kind of like the Wild West when it comes to privacy and security anyway, so I wouldn’t hold my breath on this point – there could (and might well) be controversies.

Case in point: Apple Intelligence is NOT available in the UK and Europe. Why? It all comes down to privacy and security – the EU is not impressed by OpenAI’s approach to privacy and data collection (and it’s entirely correct with this sentiment too).

Still, for those of you that will get Apple Intelligence there’s quite a few cool things you’ll be able to do with it.

Here’s a selection of my favorite:

1. Seamless Integration: Apple Intelligence is baked into iOS 18 and works across the Apple ecosystem, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It ties in with apps like Messages, Photos, Mail, and Safari, giving you contextual insights without the need to jump between apps.
2. On-Device Processing: A major benefit is that Apple Intelligence works directly on your device when possible, reducing the need for cloud processing. This keeps tasks quick and ensures more control over your data.
3. Privacy: Apple has built privacy into the core of this AI. Most processing happens on-device, and when it does reach out to the cloud, it’s through Apple’s secure, private servers. Plus, the system is transparent—if external tools like ChatGPT are used, you’re notified and can decide whether to share your data.
4. Simplified User Experience: You don’t need to be a tech expert to use Apple Intelligence. From asking Siri to rewrite a text to having your notifications summarized, it just works without needing complex setups or commands.

Shortcomings of Apple Intelligence

• AI Competition: Apple Intelligence doesn’t yet have the level of sophistication in some AI tasks compared to other AI leaders like Google’s AI or ChatGPT, especially when it comes to advanced image or text generation outside of Apple’s ecosystem.
• Device Requirements: Apple Intelligence’s full functionality is currently limited to the latest devices, such as the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and devices with M1 chips (Macs and iPads). If you’re using an older device, you won’t get the full experience, which can feel like Apple’s way of nudging users toward upgrading.
• Battery Drain: While Apple Intelligence performs most tasks on-device, more complex requests may tap into cloud-based servers, potentially using more battery. While the balance between on-device and cloud processing helps, it could still impact battery life during heavy use.

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More Customization Options

iOS 18 pushes personalization even further. Now, you can redesign your Home Screen and Control Center like never before, making your iPhone truly yours.

Granted, you’ve been able to do this on Android for about, I don’t know… 15 years or so. But at least Apple is finally being a little more accommodating when it comes to making personal changes to the way iOS looks.

It’s still MASSIVELY behind Android in this context, but it’s a start – and, importantly, it builds on what Apple started in iOS 17. This tells me that Apple is now more open to the idea of letting users customize and alter core aspects of iOS’ UX design.

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Photos App Gets MASSIVE Update Inside iOS 18

The Photos app, at least on my phone, is one of my most used apps. But for the LONGEST time, it’s remained pretty much unchanged.

Well, that all changes with iOS 18 – there are a boat-load of updates and changes to the way the Photos app works inside iOS 18.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s changed and why it matters:

Photos App Redesign: Streamlined and Customizable

The Photos app now offers a unified browsing experience. Gone are the separate tabs for “Library” and “Albums.”

Instead, you can easily scroll through all your media in one continuous flow. The top carousel lets you swipe through featured photos, favorites, and memories, with customization options to choose which collections you want at the top.

This redesign makes it faster to find what you’re looking for and offers a more personalized experience.

Why it matters: The intuitive layout makes it easier to navigate your photo library, and you can customize what you see first, like pinning your most-used collections.

New Customization Options

You can now rearrange your albums, move specific media types to the top, and even toggle certain collections on or off. You’re limited to nine collections in the carousel, but this flexibility lets you keep your favorite photos front and center.

Why it matters: Personalization options are key to making the Photos app work for your needs, whether you want quick access to screenshots or photo memories.

Utilities and Collections

The “Recent Days” collection groups photos by location and time, making it easier to relive recent moments. Other collections like “People and Pets” automatically generate albums, while Trips replaces the old “Places” tab, organizing photos by travel year.

Why it matters: These organizational features help you find specific photos faster and group similar ones together for easier browsing.

Editing and Cleanup Tool

iOS 18 simplifies photo editing, replacing the edit button with a new slider icon.

The most exciting addition is the Cleanup Tool, which removes distractions like people or objects from the background while keeping the essence of the photo intact.

Why it matters: It’s a powerful way to enhance photos without drastic, unrealistic changes—perfect for keeping photos authentic.

Apple Intelligence Integration

With Apple Intelligence, you can search for photos using natural language, like “Show me photos of Archer eating in Devon.”

It can also create personalized memory videos based on your requests.

Why it matters: The AI-driven search and memory creation features make it easier than ever to relive specific moments, saving time on manual searching.

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Messages: More Fun and Functionality

Apple has given iMessage a host of fun, creative options, while also improving essential communication tools.

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Safari: Smarter and More Helpful

In iOS 18, Safari gets some pretty slick upgrades that make browsing smoother, faster, and more intuitive. Here’s a no-nonsense rundown of what’s new:

Reader Mode Enhancements

Safari’s Reader Mode has been upgraded, so now it not only strips away distractions but also gives you a high-level summary and a table of contents before you dive into the full article. This way, you can decide whether it’s worth reading the whole thing before you commit.

Highlights Feature

This is one of the coolest new features. Safari now automatically highlights relevant information on a webpage—like important names, dates, or locations—making it easier to scan for key details while browsing. You don’t have to hunt for the info yourself; Safari does it for you.

Search Improvements

Searching within Safari just got smarter. When you use the search bar, it now provides more contextual suggestions based on what you’ve already looked at, making finding related content faster and more accurate.

Password Autofill Upgrades

Safari’s autofill is smarter in iOS 18, especially when it comes to passwords and security. Passwords are now managed more efficiently, and the Passwords app gets some love too, syncing across devices more smoothly.

Privacy and Security

Apple continues to push privacy. Safari now limits even more cross-site tracking and improves security by keeping your browsing history more private, while ensuring websites can still function normally.

If you spend a lot of time browsing, these changes are going to make your reading experiences online much, much better.

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