iOS 18: the 6 most notable points (AI, security, personalization, etc.)

During his traditional WWDC opening keynote (full summary to read here), Apple unveiled the new version of iOS. This takes number 18 and will arrive for everyone next fall, after a test phase which will last all summer. In this regard, please note that the first beta for developers is already available. You can install it very simply by followingour dedicated guide.

There are many new items on the menu, some of them more notable than others. To try to see things more clearly, we list below the6 changes that seem to us to be the most important. Do not hesitate to tell us in the comments if other iOS 18 announcements not mentioned here particularly struck you.

1. Apple Intelligence

iOS 18, like macOS Sequoia and iPadOS 18, will benefit from the implementation of advanced AI technologies. Moreover, at Apple, we no longer say AI, butApple Intelligence. As we saw during the conference, Apple Intelligence wants to bring iOS into a new dimension, where many actions can be done automatically, or upon simple voice request.

Apple Intelligence wants to excel where Siri has always failed: to offer an assistant truly capable of simplifying our lives.

On the other hand, everything is not rosy. Apple Intelligence requires a certain amount of power to operate. Only the iPhone 15 Pro (and probably the next iPhone 16 Pro) will be able to benefit from it at the end of the year... On Mac, Apple Intelligence is reserved for machines equipped with Apple silicon chips.

2. The new Passwords app

It was expected, and even highly anticipated: iOS 18 finally includes a password management application worthy of the name. Apple, true to itself, simply named it “Passwords” in French.As described in more detail here, the app aims to be the native, simple and free solution for all those who until now used 1Password, Dashlane and other third-party alternatives.

3. Deep customization of iOS

iOS 18 is amazing in terms of new customization possibilities. Let us cite just these three changes to underline the point:

• You can block access to apps individually, via Face ID, Touch ID or passcode

• Control Center changes, with a page system and more in-depth modifications for controls

• Change all the colors of your app icons with a new personalization mode for the home screen

4. The revival of the Photos application

Photos is possibly one of the applications that is undergoing the most changes with iOS 18. It benefits from a new interface centered around highlighting content deemed important. Automatic classifications are improved, as is detection of objects and people. The Californian firm knows that every iPhone user suffers from the insane number of photographs present in the photo library. It therefore aims with these iOS 18 changes to help people find their way around.

5. New messaging protocols

Finally, iOS 18 supportsRCS protocol. This evolution of SMS will allow iPhone users communicating with Android users to benefit from several new features, such as confirmation of receipt, increasing the limit on the number of characters per message, improved exchange security and the ability to attach files weighing up to 10 MB, among others.

Otherwise, let's also mention, with iOS 18, the appearance of satellite messaging. In short, outside of any network, you can now send messages via satellite connection to your loved ones, which is practical in the event of an emergency.

6. The list of compatible iPhones

The list of iOS 18 compatible devices may be considered a surprise to some. Indeed, you should know that all iPhones supporting iOS 17 can install iOS 18.So this goes back to the iPhone XS and XR!

On the other hand, not all compatible devices will benefit from all the new iOS 18 features, as was already the case for iOS 17. For example, Apple Intelligence, as mentioned above, will only be present on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max initially. All the same, we must welcome the fact that this year, absolutely, no iPhone is being forgotten.

And to find out everything about what was announced at the WWDC24 conference, don't missour full summary.

Editor-in-chief for iPhon.fr. Pierre is like Indiana Jones, looking for the lost iOS trick. Also a long-time Mac user, Apple devices hold no secrets for him. Contact: pierre[a]iphon.fr.