At the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced the newest features for iOS 18. The update will bring a number of changes to your favorite native apps, including several AI-assisted features powered by the company’s own Apple Intelligence.
As experts in the mobile space since 2008, we’ve seen our fair share of product rollouts. In that time, we’ve learned how to spot the differences between unwarranted hype and the real deal. We even track them monthly in our guides to the best new iPhone and Android apps.
After digging through the details from Apple’s latest announcement, here are the new iOS 18 app features we’re most excited about.
1. Photos
Apple is calling this “the biggest-ever redesign” of this app, and we can see why. Photos will no longer require meticulous organization, thanks to a few big changes that will automatically catalog and arrange your memories. You’ll still find a chronological grid of your photos, but below that, you’ll find automatically generated (and frequently updated) albums organized by destinations, time, people, pets, and more. Browsing through the app will be smoother, too, with filters that allow you to avoid screenshots or receipts and search for your favorite groups of friends.
Image: Apple
The app also features a number of impressive editing features that use Apple’s new AI, fittingly called Apple Intelligence, to generate and professionalize the content you capture with your iPhone. The editing feature Clean Up allows you to remove unwanted elements from a photo, while Memories goes further by adding rather than subtracting: simply type in a description of a slideshow you’d like to see—let’s say, “pictures from sunny road races I’ve competed in set to anthemic music”—and in just a few seconds your wish will be granted.
It’s important to note, though, that these AI-assisted features will only be available if you have an iPhone 15 Pro models. We’re hoping that’ll change in the future, but for now that seems to be one of the serious disappointments of the iOS 18 announcement.
2. iMessage
iMessage will receive a number of updates of varying importance, with relatively minor (but fun) cosmetic changes alongside more utilitarian improvements. Let’s start with the former, considering that’s what you’ll notice first, likely within a few seconds. Highlight any word or phrase, and you’ll find the ability to bold, italicize, underline, or strikethrough, pushing the messaging app a bit closer to a word processor. Looking for something with a little more pizzaz? You can also add effects (like “Big,” “Explode,” or “Jitter,” among others) to the word, turning the effects that came with typing “Happy Birthday” or “Congratulations” to a whole new level.
Image: Apple
If words aren’t enough to express yourself, the new iMessage will also feature two AI-assisted features for generating original images. The first is Image Playground, which allows users to generate images based on simple prompts, similar to DALL-E or Midjourney. It’ll be accessible through iMessage, so you can send unique images mid-conversation. (Image Playground will also be available as a standalone app.) The second is Genmoji, another AI-assisted image generator that specifically creates emojis. Frivolous? Maybe, but we’re positive it’ll lead to a lot of interesting conversations.
On the more practical end, iOS 18 gives iMessage two important updates. The app will now support Rich Communications Services (RCS), which is already the norm for Android users. This means conversations in iMessage will allow Android users to see images, audio, and animation as well as more reliably participate in group chats with iMessage users. That’s some serious growth from Apple, though, maybe not as much as it seems, considering you’ll still see green bubbles when talking with an Android user.
Image: Apple
iMessage will also allow users to message via satellite when regular service is out of reach, meaning you’ll be able to keep in touch with loved ones even when you’re out exploring the wilderness.
3. Journal
Image: Apple
Journal is one of Apple’s more recent native apps, hitting iPhones with iOS 17.2. Like a more imaginative Notes app, Journal provides prompts to help you start writing, though “writing” is just the start: the app allows you to add pictures, audio recordings, and locations to make for multimedia documentation of whatever’s going on that day. The iOS 18 update goes even further, allowing you to transcribe audio recordings (something that’s also available in Notes), set journaling goals, and link to the Health app.
4. Passwords
One of the most prevalent rumors leading up to the iOS 18 announcement was that Apple would be launching its own password management app. That rumor turned out to be true: iOS 18 will include the Passwords app, which will sync your passwords across devices. Several Apple devices have already had iCloud Keychain features, which sync passwords, but the Passwords app will work across more devices, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro.
Image: Apple
In addition to Apple devices, you’ll also be able to sync with PCs by using the iCloud for Windows app. For the moment, though, Apple has not mentioned the ability to sync with Google Chrome or Android. If you’re an Apple purist, this is great news: you’ll now be able to keep all of your logins, family sharing info, and Wi-Fi credentials in one secure place. If you’re anything less than that, though, it might be frustrating news.
5. Apple Wallet
Image: Apple
Apple Pay has become the payment method of choice for many iPhone users, and we can see even more folks adding their credit cards to the Wallet app with iOS 18. The update will bring rewards points (for eligible credit and debit cards), so users can see what they’re earning before they pay. The Tap to Cash feature will also make paying friends even easier than Venmo: just hold your iPhone close to a friend’s to exchange money. In addition to your payments, users will also find enhanced event tickets in Wallet, including venue details, Apple Music playlists, and more.
Additional app enhancements for iOS 18
Beyond the improvements for specific apps, iOS 18 will also bring broader upgrades for all iPhone apps that improve security, layout, and experience. Here are some of the most notable from the WWDC announcement.
Hide and lock apps with Face ID
Sometimes your passcode isn’t enough security. Sometimes, we hand our phones over to loved ones (to respond to an important text while driving) and even strangers (to take a photo) but that doesn’t mean we want to give them unfiltered access to all of the apps on our phones. iOS 18 adds two safeguards that enhance your app security. The first is the ability to hide apps, which removes them from your home screen, and places them in a dedicated (invisble) folder in the App Library. Hiding an app also disables notifications and prevents them from appearing in search.
Image: Apple
The other is the ability to turn on Face ID for apps, which ensures you’re the only person who can open a given app. This is an especially important feature considering the amount of personal information stored in apps—like your banking app, payment apps, and more—you likely store on your phone.
Customize your home screen's app layout (finally!)
Image: Apple
It seems that Apple does eventually listen to all of the chattering on the internet. Need proof? They’ve finally heeded the advice of the many folks who begged for a better way to arrange the app icons on their home screen. You’ve always been able to add widgets and move apps, but you’ll finally be able to customize the placement of everything so it complements your background. In addition, you’ll be able to customize the colors of apps, using a hue that matches your background or by picking a color of your choice.
Bring your apps to the big screen with iPhone mirroring
Image: Apple
If you’re a Mac user, your iPhone apps experience is about to get a whole lot better with the arrival of macOS Sequoia. The new operating system will allow users to mirror their iPhones on their computers, allowing them to use all of their favorite apps on a larger screen. You’ll be able to use the keyboard, trackpad, and mouse from your Mac on your iPhone to drag and drop files or even just play your favorite iOS games.
Kevin Kearney
Kevin is the Deputy Editor for WhistleOut North America. As a writer and journalist, his pieces on tech, education, and culture have appeared in Stereogum, InsideHook, The Millions, and elsewhere. When he’s not researching the U.S. and Canadian telecom markets, he enjoys reading, running, and playing music.
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