Apple on Monday launched its new iOS 18 for all appropriate iPhones to put in — this is how obtain and set up the brand new replace. iOS 18 will already come put in on the brand new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional fashions (see our iPhone 16 Professional evaluation), which is able to hit cabinets on September 20. However not each iPhone will be capable of run iOS 18, and even those that may will not have all of the bells and whistles of the brand new Apple Intelligence options.
That replace stratification is nothing new. Usually annually, some older iPhone fashions are faraway from Apple’s iOS eligibility record. Final yr, as an example, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X have been left off the compatibility record. That meant these iPhone homeowners could not replace to iOS 17 and missed out on some notable options. On the flip aspect, some older {hardware} will get main new options: Take into account the upcoming software program replace that successfully turns present AirPods Professional headphones right into a listening to help, full with a built-in listening to check. (Apple simply acquired FDA authorization to launch that function later this yr.)
We’ll assist you to discover out in case your iPhone will help iOS 18, in addition to Apple Intelligence. As well as, Apple has additionally launched a firmware replace for AirPods Professional 2. If you need a full record of all the brand new iOS 18, try Apple’s exhaustive record in PDF type (by way of MacRumors). Nonetheless catching up on every thing new that Apple introduced at its September 9 launch occasion? Try our full AirPods 4 evaluation, together with hands-on previews of the Apple Watch Sequence 10, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional.
iPhones appropriate with iOS 18
We now have excellent news: In the event you had an eligible cellphone final yr if you up to date to iOS 17, that machine ought to nonetheless be appropriate with iOS 18, in response to Apple. Which means you will not have to purchase a brand new cellphone to take a look at many of the new software program options.
Put one other manner, you probably have an iPhone from the 2017 mannequin yr or earlier (iPhone 8 or iPhone X), you may’t improve to the newest iOS, however your cellphone ought to proceed to work — albeit with out the newest and biggest options.
Is your iPhone appropriate with Apple Intelligence?
Whereas your older machine will nonetheless be capable of help the newest iOS, chances are high that you just will not get to strive the Apple Intelligence beta but subsequent month. Until you may have an iPhone 15 Professional or iPhone 15 Professional Max — the top-end 2023 fashions — or one of many new iPhone 16 fashions, your iPhone is not eligible.
When will Apple Intelligence options be out there?
In case your machine is appropriate with Apple Intelligence, you can begin enjoying with a few of these options in October, once they start to hit these newer iPhones in subsequent updates.
The primary spherical of Apple Intelligence options can be out there in English within the US this October. In December, it will develop into out there in localized English to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK. Extra language help, together with Chinese language, French, Japanese and Spanish, can be out there someday subsequent yr, Apple says.
As beforehand reported, Apple Intelligence will not be making its option to EU international locations anytime quickly. The American tech large stays locked in a battle with European regulators over enforcement particulars of the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
The most important new iOS 18 options
Whereas Apple Intelligence is by far the largest replace coming with iOS 18, its options are going to be launched extra piecemeal over the next few months. And the extra superior options will not be out there on older iPhone fashions other than the iPhone 15 Professional collection. However the remainder of the iOS 18 options can be found now. Listed below are simply a few of the highlights you may anticipate if you obtain Apple’s new software program.
Passwords app: Securely retailer all of your credentials in a single place, together with passwords and safety alerts you could entry instantly within the app. (Whereas this performance presently exists in Settings, transferring it to a brand new app ought to make it simpler to find and entry.)
Improved Messages app: A brand new iMessages expertise is bringing the choice to daring, italicize, underline and strikethrough your textual content. You may additionally be capable of add animations to your textual content messages. The replace can be bringing RCS to iPhones to raised help Android compatibility.
An organized photographs library: The Images app is getting a redesign, which lets you create and pin your individual collections within the app — assume “wedding ceremony photographs” or “journey to Aruba.” It removes the present tabbed backside and leans right into a grid format. The up to date carousel view that was touted at WWDC was eliminated through the beta course of.
Personalised house display screen format: You may lastly get the choice to rearrange your apps — as an example, you may go away the center area open to show your property display screen picture, and as an alternative have your apps alone the border of the display screen. It’s also possible to change the looks of the apps by tinting them with any colour, in addition to making the apps bigger.
There are many different tweaks and enhancements to keystone apps like Maps, Calendar, Safari and extra. Try Cherlynn Low’s decisions for the finest hidden options of iOS 18 and its sibling Apple working system updates, primarily based on the betas launched earlier this yr.
Are MacOS Sequoia, iPadOS 18, WatchOS 11 and tvOS 18 out there now?
This is when you may obtain the most recent software program updates in your different Apple gadgets (most are at this time as properly).
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MacOS Sequoia: September 16
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iPadOS 18: September 16
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WatchOS 11: September 16
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tvOS 18: Apple hasn’t introduced an official date for its newest tvOS software program replace. It is nonetheless in public beta testing at the moment, although it is near the ultimate phases, per MacRumors.
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visionOS 2: September 16
As for AirPods, Apple has reportedly pushed new firmware to AirPods Professional earbuds to prep for the added options coming to that machine with iOS 18. (Simply be aware that listening to help performance talked about above might not hit with the primary wave of updates, regardless of its current FDA clearance.)
Replace, September 16, 1:55PM ET: Confirmed iOS 18 availability.
Replace, September 12, 3:28PM ET: Added particulars concerning the FDA authorizing the listening to help performance for AirPods Professional.
Replace, September 11, 12:13PM ET: New data added about new firmware pushed to AirPods Professional earbuds.
Replace, September 10, 9:54AM ET: Added launch dates for added Apple OS software program updates.
Replace, September 9, 5:00PM ET: Added particulars relating to the dearth of Apple Intelligence availability in EU international locations.
Replace, September 9, 3:37PM ET: This story has been up to date with the introduced launch dates for iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence.
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