Apple plans to reveal significant updates to many of its first-party apps with iOS 18, including Mail, Photos, Notes, Fitness, and more. iOS 18 will also see notable design changes in addition to Home Screen improvements, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reports.
In the paywalled Q&A section of the weekly “Power On” newsletter, Gurman explains that Apple has a lot of changes in store for iOS 18 beyond new AI features. With the update, the company will focus on some of the most popular iPhone apps, including Mail, Photos, Fitness, and Notes. Although concrete details surrounding these changes remain unclear, a separate report from AppleInsider revealed how Apple plans to update the Notes app, including a new Math Notes feature and built-in voice memos support.
The report reiterates that the Calculator app will finally be available on the iPad with iPadOS 18 as first reported by MacRumors. Beyond app changes, iOS 18 will usher in one of the biggest changes to the iPhone’s Home Screen since the device’s introduction in 2007. Users will reportedly be able to place app icons freely on their Home Screens wherever they please without being forced to anchor the icons in specific locations with the current iOS grid.
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The report adds that iOS 18 will bring forward some design changes to the iPhone’s user interface for the first time in years, making it one of the biggest iPhone updates ever. While the planned changes won’t rival the design overhaul of iOS 7, the design updates will reportedly make iOS 18 more “modular,” making it more customizable and easier to update in the future.
Beyond the design changes and app updates, it’s all but confirmed that Apple will bring forward a slew of new AI-based features across the board with iOS 18, macOS 15, and more at WWDC 2024. Apple aims to introduce AI capabilities within every corner of iOS 18 as the company has largely remained silent features-wise on today’s AI frenzy that has swept the market. Look out for AI-powered features spanning Siri, Messages, Spotlight Search, Safari, and more.
WWDC 2024 kicks off on Monday, June 10 when iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, and visionOS 2 are expected to be announced. Beta testing for all the new updates will last throughout the summer until they’re released to the public in the fall and later in the year.
