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 | Yorkshire Times Weekend Edition |
12:00 AM 21st September 2024
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What’s In Store With iOS 18
Image: Spusu
For the organisers
One of the most significant visual changes coming with iOS 18 is the ability to organise apps on your home screens however you want. Previously, apps could only be arranged in rows of four, often hiding background images, but with iOS 18, apps can be organised to suit you and that special background photo. Home screens can be further customised as the icons can be changed to a dark mode filter or tinted to match the colour scheme of your wallpaper.
Other smart upgrades include changes to the Control Centre. Specifically, Control Centre’s latest reorganisation features quick access to controls such as media playback for music, AirPods or speakers, home control and connectivity for security doorbells. These apps can be altered by size and grouped together, facilitating easier and faster access to your most used iPhone features.
For on-the-go workers
iOS 18 brings several enhancements to apps that significantly benefit users who rely on their iPhones for work tasks. Arriving with the new software upgrade is Apple Intelligence, Apple’s ChatGPT-powered version of Siri. This transformative new function will give users new ways to improve their writing and communicate more effectively by allowing users to proofread, edit and summarise text across apps including Mail, Notes and Pages. With Proofread, users can check text for spelling and grammar errors, word choice and sentence structure, ideal for checking important emails and documents.
With the new update, messages can be scheduled to a specific time and date, meaning you can get ahead and work more efficiently. Plus, iMessage will also allow users to intensify any letter, word or emoji with dynamic appearances. This means you can communicate tone more effectively with different functions including underlining, using italics or strikethrough — great for serious business messages. Text effects can be applied to further enhance part of a text, with options including ripple, bloom and shake.
Sending messages will also be easier as improved satellite capabilities of compatible iPhones can send messages via satellite when cellular and Wi-Fi connections aren’t available — ensuring you never miss an important work text again!
Lastly, say goodbye to a clogged inbox. The new update categorises emails into primary for time sensitives emails such as meeting updates, a transactions folder for online purchases, as well as updates and e-marketing promotions. You can still view all mail in one inbox, but these categories will be ideal for keeping personal and work emails separate. Mail will also be supported by AI-generated features that offer reply suggestions and email summaries, allowing you to respond to emails faster.
For the aspiring photographers
The photos app is reportedly receiving the biggest upgrade ever with more options to search for photos and more ways to group images. Photography enthusiasts can look forward to several enhancements and new features that will enrich their photography experience.
Our phones are a memory treasure chest but often, trying to sift through a mirage of what can be thousands of images can be difficult. With that in mind, the redesigned Photos app will make it easier to find specific photos by organising your photos in more ways, like month and year. Photos will also be organised by theme, so if you're looking for photos from a trip, you should be able to find them faster.
iOS 18 will also introduce new camera modes or enhancements to existing modes, such as improved low-light performance and updated portrait modes.
With upgrades to Messages, Mail and the introduction of Apple Intelligence, iOS 18 is expected to provide significant enhancements for iPhone users. Whether you work on the go or want to manage your memory bank of photos, the upgrade looks to be one of the most significant launches of the decade.