Apple’s iOS 18 operating system will become available later today and here’s when to expect it and what features it includes.
It’s been a long wait but Apple’s iOS 18 update is finally launching later today. This exciting new operating system was first announced back in June at Apple’s WWDC Developers Conference and has since gone through months of testing to make sure it’s ready for the masses.
Now it seems Apple is happy to unleash its latest and greatest upgrade across the globe with the US technology giant confirming that iOS 18 will be pushed out on September 16.
Although we know that iPhones will get access to this new software today, we don’t know an exact time as Apple never confirms when it will appear in the Settings menu.
What we do know is that most previous years have seen the iOS update arrive at around 6pm BST and there’s nothing to suggest 2024 will be any different.
iOS 18 is free and available if you currently own any of the devices listed below.
iPhone 16 • iPhone 16 Plus • iPhone 16 Pro • iPhone 16 Pro Max (iPhone 16 range is launching this Friday)
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 • iPhone 13 mini • iPhone 13 Pro • iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12 • iPhone 12 mini • iPhone 12 Pro • iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11 • iPhone 11 Pro • iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS • iPhone XS Max • iPhone XR • iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)
So what’s new in iOS 18? Here are some of the biggest new features arriving in this release.
NEW WAYS TO CUSTOMISE YOUR PHONE
One of the biggest changes in iOS 18 is more control over the way things look on the screen. This update features a whole new way to customise the home screen thanks to the ability to change the tint of apps and place them anywhere on the display rather than being locked to the current grid. That means you can position applications around a family photo for example.
IMPROVED CONTROL CENTRE
Along with customising the home screen, you can also completely change the Control Centre. Once iOS 18 is installed you’ll get the option of adding favourites, switching the positions of things such as screen brightness or volume and including third-party services as well, that means getting access to things you use the most a lot faster.
“Control Center has been redesigned to provide easier access to many of the things users do every day, and it gets new levels of customisation and flexibility,” Apple explains.
“The redesign delivers quick access to new groups of a user’s most-utilised controls, such as media playback, Home controls, and connectivity, as well as the ability to easily swipe between each.”
BETTER PHOTOS APP
The Photos app is getting its biggest-ever redesign in this release. The change is being implemented to help users easily find and relive special moments. A simplified, single view displays a familiar grid, and new collections help users browse by themes without having to organise content into albums. Plus, collections can be pinned to keep favourites easily accessible.
MORE WAYS TO MESSAGE
The popular iMessage service also gets a refresh in iOS 18. This lets you add all-new text effects including amplifying any letter, word, phrase, or emoji with dynamic, animated appearances. Users can better express tone by adding formatting like bold, underline, italics, and strikethrough. Tapbacks expand to include any emoji or sticker, and now users can compose a message and schedule to send it at a later time.
UPGRADES TO APPS
Other extras in iOS 18 include a refreshed version of Safari which speeds up surfing the web and there are upgrades to the Calculator, Maps and Apple Fitness+.
“We are thrilled to introduce iOS 18. It is a huge release with incredible features, including new levels of customisation and capability, a redesigned Photos app, and powerful ways to stay connected with Messages. There are so many benefits for everyone,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering.
