In simply three days, you may find a way to obtain iOS 18 on your eligible iPhone. Apple introduced the release date at its iPhone occasion on Monday, together with the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional fashions, and the new Apple Watch Sequence 10 and AirPods 4 devices (here is every thing Apple revealed at the iPhone 16 launch occasion). If you happen to’re fortunate sufficient to snag one in every of the new telephones on September 20, they’re going to have already got iOS 18 put in. But should you’re sticking with your older iPhone, you’ll be able to take a look at iOS 18 when it turns into obtainable as a free obtain on September 16. Not each iPhone, nonetheless, might be in a position to run iOS 18, and even the ones that may will not have all the bells and whistles of the new Apple Intelligence features.
That replace stratification is nothing now. Usually annually, some older iPhone fashions are faraway from Apple’s iOS eligibility record. Final yr, for example, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X had been left off the compatibility record. That meant these iPhone homeowners could not replace to iOS 17 and missed out on some notable features. On the flip facet, some older {hardware} will get main new features: Contemplate the upcoming software program replace that successfully turns current AirPods Professional headphones right into a listening to assist, full with a built-in listening to check. (Apple simply acquired FDA approval to release that characteristic later this yr.)
We’ll enable you to discover out if your iPhone will help iOS 18, in addition to Apple Intelligence. If you need a full record of all the new iOS 18, take a look at Apple’s exhaustive record in PDF type (through MacRumors).
iPhones suitable with iOS 18
We now have excellent news: If you happen to had an eligible cellphone final yr once you up to date to iOS 17, that system ought to nonetheless be suitable with iOS 18, in accordance to Apple. Meaning you will not have to purchase a new cellphone to take a look at most of the new software program features.
Put one other approach, you probably have an iPhone from the 2017 mannequin yr or earlier (iPhone 8 or iPhone X), you’ll be able to’t improve to the newest iOS, but your cellphone ought to proceed to work — albeit with out the newest and biggest features.
Is your iPhone suitable with Apple Intelligence?
Whereas your older system will nonetheless find a way to help the newest iOS, probabilities are that you just will not get to strive the Apple Intelligence beta but subsequent month. Except you have got an iPhone 15 Professional or iPhone 15 Professional Max — the top-end 2023 fashions — or one in every of the new iPhone 16 fashions, your iPhone is not eligible.
When will Apple Intelligence features be obtainable?
If your system is suitable with Apple Intelligence, you can begin taking part in with a few of these features in October, after they start to hit these newer iPhones in subsequent updates.
Apple Intelligence might be obtainable in English in the US this October. In December, it will change into obtainable in localized English to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Further language help, together with Chinese language, French, Japanese and Spanish, might be obtainable someday subsequent yr, Apple says.
As beforehand reported, Apple Intelligence won’t be making its approach 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.
iOS 18 new features to expect
Whereas Apple Intelligence is by far the largest replace coming with iOS 18, its features are going to be launched extra piecemeal over the subsequent few months. And the extra superior features will not be obtainable on older iPhone fashions other than the iPhone 15 Professional collection. But the remainder of the iOS 18 features will hit the handsets listed above. Here are simply a few of the highlights you’ll be able to expect once you obtain Apple’s new software program later this month.
Passwords app: Securely retailer all your credentials in a single place, together with passwords and safety alerts that you would be able to entry instantly in the app. (Whereas this performance presently exists in Settings, transferring it to a new app ought to make it simpler to find and entry.)
Improved Messages app: A new iMessages expertise is bringing the possibility to daring, italicize, underline and strikethrough your textual content. You may additionally find a way to add animations to your textual content messages. The replace is additionally bringing RCS to iPhones to higher help Android compatibility.
An organized photographs library: The Photographs app is getting a redesign, which permits you to create and pin your personal collections in the app — suppose “wedding photos” or (*18*) It removes the present tabbed backside and leans right into a grid structure. The up to date carousel view that was touted at WWDC was eliminated throughout the beta course of.
Personalised house display structure: You may lastly get the possibility to rearrange your apps — for example, you’ll be able to depart the center house open to show your house display picture, and as an alternative have your apps alone the border of the display. It’s also possible to change the look of the apps by tinting them with any coloration, in addition to making the apps bigger.
There are loads of different tweaks and enhancements to keystone apps like Maps, Calendar, Safari and extra. Try Cherlynn Low’s decisions for the greatest hidden features of iOS 18 and its sibling Apple working system updates, primarily based on the betas launched earlier this yr.
Is there an iOS 18 beta?
There is, and you’ll be able to obtain it now — as long as you are keen to stay with the glitches and challenges of beta software program. If you have not already downloaded it at this level, we might counsel simply ready for the actual deal to be launched in just below per week.
What about MacOS Sequoia, iPadOS 18, WatchOS 11 and tvOS 18?
Here’s when you’ll be able to expect the latest software program updates to come for your different Apple devices.
MacOS Sequoia: September 16
iPadOS 18: September 16
WatchOS 11: September 16
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 shut to the last levels, per MacRumors.
visionOS 2: September 16
As for AirPods, Apple has reportedly pushed new firmware to AirPods Professional earbuds to prep for the added features coming to that system with iOS 18. (Simply notice that listening to assist performance talked about above could not hit with the first wave of updates. regardless of its latest FDA clearance.)
Replace, September 12, 3:28PM ET: Added particulars about the FDA approving the listening to assist 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 release dates for extra Apple OS software program updates.
Replace, September 9, 5:00PM ET: Added particulars concerning the lack of Apple Intelligence availability in EU international locations.
Replace, September 9, 3:37PM ET: This story has been up to date with the introduced release dates for iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence.