iOS 18: prime 18 options and modifications for iPhone [Video]

On this preliminary hands-on walkthrough, I focus on 18 of my favourite new modifications and options from the primary iOS 18 beta for iPhone. I clarify why you ought to be enthusiastic about new long-awaited updates to the iOS Calendar app, Reminders, Notes, Messages, and extra. Watch our hands-on video, and make sure you subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for extra hands-on iOS 18 protection.

Observe: To your comfort, clicking the heading of every part will bounce on to the corresponding timestamp within the embedded video under.

In iOS 18, the house display receives a number of radical (for iOS) modifications. For the primary time, customers are allowed to put app icons anyplace, so long as they adhere to the standard grid construction. The identical factor now applies to widgets on iPhone, a function beforehand unique to iPadOS.

Talking of widgets, in iOS 18 now you can resize widgets dynamically through a helpful drag deal with that surfaces whereas in edit mode. Widgets will also be upsized and downsized, all the best way again right down to a daily app icon, utilizing a context menu possibility that seems when long-pressing the app.

Video: iOS 18 prime options and modifications

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There’s additionally the flexibility to make app icons bigger, which additionally brings forth the flexibility to cover app names on the House Display screen for the primary time. Hopefully, Apple will lengthen this function to the smaller icons as nicely.

Customers will even like the brand new choice to allow a darkish mode for icons. Presently, solely Apple’s first-party pre-installed apps are affected by the darkish mode possibility, however builders will be capable to function it of their apps as nicely. As well as, there’s a new choice to tint all app icons with the identical shade for a extra cohesive theme on the House Display screen.

Up till now, the Calendar app was an enormous disappointment for me, as a result of the month-to-month view offered virtually no element. In iOS 18, Apple has lastly addressed this evident omission by offering the month view with completely different colours for every calendar, and the flexibility to pinch out to view particular particulars about upcoming occasions.

However Apple took it a step additional in iOS 18, and tightly built-in the Calendar with Reminders. Now you can schedule a reminder instantly within the Calendar, and add a calendar occasion instantly from Reminders. These are each high quality enhancements which can be positive to simplify occasion and activity administration.

In iOS 18, the Messages app beneficial properties a number of new options, equivalent to with the ability to use emojis and stickers with tapbacks, the super-handy one-icon replies for shortly acknowledging a message that doesn’t require a full textual content response.

Customers will even love the flexibility to schedule messages, a function that I and lots of others have been wanting for years. Apple additionally included a brand new textual content impact possibility that permits you to apply particular results and textual content formatting in your messages right down to a person phrase or emoji character.

Notes have acquired some implausible updates over time, and that pattern continues with iOS 18. Considered one of my favourite new options is the flexibility to break down headings, which is nice for organizing dense textual content. Notes additionally beneficial properties the flexibility to report and embed audio notes and spotlight textual content utilizing one among 5 new shade choices.

As at all times, this 12 months’s main iOS replace contains fairly just a few noteworthy accessibility enhancements. A brand new Vocal Shortcuts possibility, which helps you to set up particular key phrases for executing Siri instructions and shortcuts offers an especially highly effective new automation software.

There’s additionally a brand new visionOS-like eye-tracking function that permits you to management your gadget utilizing simply your eyes. I can solely think about this function changing into extra highly effective over time and could also be a adequate purpose for a major replace to the front-facing digital camera {hardware} in future iPhones.

13 extra prime options

Along with the 5 areas touched on above, I additionally cowl a further 13 sections in this preliminary iOS 18 walkthrough. The sections embody the next:

I’ll be again with extra in-depth, hands-on protection of iOS 18 and all of Apple’s platforms within the coming days and weeks. Within the meantime, inform me, what’s your favourite new function in iOS 18? Pontificate within the feedback under.