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

On this preliminary hands-on walkthrough, I talk about 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 be sure you subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for extra hands-on iOS 18 protection.

Notice: In 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 screen 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 by way of a useful drag deal with that surfaces whereas in edit mode. Widgets can be upsized and downsized, all the best way again all the way 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 power to make app icons bigger, which additionally brings forth the power to cover app names on the House Display for the primary time. Hopefully, Apple will prolong this function to the smaller icons as properly.

Customers will even like the brand new choice to allow a darkish mode for icons. At the moment, solely Apple’s first-party pre-installed apps are affected by the darkish mode possibility, however builders will be capable of function it of their apps as properly. 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.

Up till now, the Calendar app was a giant 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 power 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 straight within the Calendar, and add a calendar occasion straight from Reminders. These are each high quality enhancements which might be positive to simplify occasion and activity administration.

In iOS 18, the Messages app features a number of new options, resembling 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 power 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 lets you apply particular results and textual content formatting on your messages all the way down to a person phrase or emoji character.

Notes have acquired some implausible updates through the years, and that development continues with iOS 18. One among my favourite new options is the power to break down headings, which is nice for organizing dense textual content. Notes additionally features the power to report and embed audio notes and spotlight textual content utilizing one in every of 5 new shade choices.

As at all times, this yr’s main iOS replace consists of fairly a number of noteworthy accessibility enhancements. A brand new Vocal Shortcuts possibility, which helps you to set up particular key phrases for executing Siri instructions and shortcuts supplies a particularly highly effective new automation software.

There’s additionally a brand new visionOS-like eye-tracking function that lets you management your machine utilizing simply your eyes. I can solely think about this function turning into extra highly effective over time and could also be a ok cause for a major replace to the front-facing digicam {hardware} in future iPhones.

13 extra prime options

Along with the 5 areas touched on above, I additionally cowl an extra 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.