iOS 18: Launching at WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) 2024, iOS 18 is Apple’s most significant update to date, focusing on AI improvements for iPhones.
Apple is reportedly working to bridge the gap between iPhones and Pixel and Galaxy phones. With AI constantly in the news, Samsung has teamed up with Google to update the AI feature on its new Galaxy S24 series this year. Just like the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones. Now if reports are to be believed, Apple is also going the AI route and will be bringing some big changes to the iPhone 16 series this year.
iOS 18 will be launched at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June this year. According to a source close to Apple, iOS 18 will come with features focused on AI features for iPhones. The iOS revision is apparently considered the company’s most significant iOS update.
In another report, Morgan Stanley analyst Eric Wooding said Apple’s ‘edge AI’ capabilities will be realized in 2024. He suggests that this development will take the upcoming iPhone series to new heights. “If we’re right, and the new LLM-enabled software features drive the upgrade cycle, we see FY25 iPhone shipment growth likely up to 15% compared to our FY25 iPhone shipment forecast,” Wooding wrote.
While Apple’s shipment numbers may decline in 2024, with AI-driven features in the iPhone 16, Apple may see shipment growth once again in 2025.
AI at the heart of iOS 18
According to reports, iOS 18, codenamed Crystal, is designed to give the iPhone a significant makeover. The goal is to address long-standing requests from users, developers and regulators, meeting various expectations and demands.
Basically, like the Pixel 8 series and Galaxy S24 series, iOS 18 will also have generative AI at its heart. This update is expected to significantly increase the iPhone’s capabilities, making it smarter and more efficient at handling complex tasks. The report suggests that Apple may employ a larger language model for Siri, enabling it to handle complex commands more effectively.
Not just the usual AI features, iOS 18 will bring ambitious changes to various aspects of the iPhone. Apple’s head of software engineering, Craig Federighi, briefed his team last year on the sweeping changes expected in the new OS. According to reports, iOS 18 will also bring RCS compatibility.
Some of the notable updates expected with iOS 18 include an improved Siri using an advanced AI system, AI features in the Messages app capable of answering questions and completing sentences, and AI in Apple Music to create automatically generated playlists. Improvements included. Additionally, iPhone work apps like Keynote and Pages are expected to feature generative AI as well as Xcode-derived tools that help developers write new applications more efficiently.
AI is nothing new in iOS 18
With iOS 18 and iPhone 16 phones, we can expect to see AI more deeply embedded into the ecosystem, but this isn’t the first time Apple has used AI or machine learning in its products. In fact, over the years, Apple has incorporated machine learning into iOS and various other products. An early practical application emerged with Apple’s software keyboard on the iPhone.
Apple improved accuracy by understanding specific characters input by the user. Furthermore, the purpose of the algorithm also extends to predicting the next word the user types. Predictive text on the iOS keyboard has also made it popular in the industry. Currently, Apple seamlessly integrates machine learning into almost every aspect of iOS. Whether it’s photo search, Siri, FaceID or event notifications, machine learning plays a pervasive role throughout the iOS ecosystem.