ShareWith the release of iOS 18 last year, many new features, customizations, and enhancements have been added to Apple devices. From expanded customization options to new apps that simplify daily life, to Apple’s new AI: Apple Intelligence. iOS 18 brings a range of welcome improvements to our devices.
After many requests over the years, Apple has finally added a flexible arrangement feature to organize your app icons and widgets to any open position on the Home Screen. In iOS 17, any apps on the Home Screen would automatically occupy the next open spot, and there was no way to put space between icons on the same page. With iOS 18’s flexible arrangement, you have the freedom to choose where on the grid system you would like to place apps. This addition extends to widgets and allows users to resize them at will to include more information without having to manually go through menus to select a different version of the widget. Apple has added options to change the color of apps to a light, dark, or even tinted version of their normal look.
Apple has added customization options for the lock screen starting with customization of the shortcuts found at the bottom. These can now be changed from the default flashlight and camera options to many other features including timers, QR code scanners, calculator, and even specific app shortcuts. The option to set a lock screen for certain apps and most third-party apps has been added to require Face ID to access the app itself. This could be very handy to make sure apps for banking, email, and other work-related activities are inaccessible to anyone other than the owner of the device. The option to hide apps until authenticated with Face ID has been added as well for additional security.
With iOS 18, new apps have been introduced, and some previously existing apps have gotten new features. The Messenger app can now be used to share a user’s screen with another for support and assistance. This feature includes the option to highlight apps and sections on the device’s screen and the ability to remotely control a user’s device. This option can quickly be disconnected when in use but does pose a security risk with the rising volume of phishing attacks being seen over the years.
One of the new apps introduced by Apple is the Password app. While this app is like the previous keychain feature, it provides enhanced organization features and Multi-Factor Authentication capabilities. Passwords can now be organized into several categories such as Wi-Fi, Security, Codes, and others. Saved passwords can be set up to include Multi-Factor Authentication keys that would normally be held in other apps such as Google or Microsoft Authenticator apps. Shared passwords have been added to allow saving of credentials for group accounts that sync when it is changed by any user in the group.
Apple has joined the ongoing race of utilizing AI to enhance the daily device experience and workflow for users. Apple Intelligence has been integrated into iOS 18 to give users many writing tools such as assistance with proofreading, rewriting, and summarization. These options can be used when taking notes, sending text messages, or even typing up emails. These features help users take their writing to the next level by verifying that correct grammar is used, adjusting the tone of bodies of work to the correct audience, or generalizing a large portion of text. AI has been used to enhance the quantity of notifications by reacting to the flow of them throughout the day. When receiving numerous notifications from a group chat, Apple Intelligence will minimize notifications being sent until the number of messages received returns to normal.
Apple has been very careful with how user information is used and stored by its AI. Most AI operations take place on the device’s own hardware, so it never leaves the device. If operations require additional power that the device can’t provide, it uses a private cloud for assistance, and the data is never stored. Apple appears to be making privacy a major bonus of its AI with the growing concern of unneeded data collection in other AI projects.
Overall, iOS 18 has been an excellent step in the right direction by adding widely requested features and polishing what already works. It’s refreshing to see Apple prioritize privacy as they build and integrate their new AI capabilities. The added customization options give users more control over how their devices look and function, making the experience more personal and efficient for their own workflow.
