Apple’s recent revamp of the App Store, iOS, and Safari browser in the European Union isn’t just a local change. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, it offers a preview of the iPhone’s global future.
User-Friendly Updates
This overhaul, satisfying long-standing requests, introduces openness. Apple will now permit third-party app marketplaces, diverse in-app payment choices, and comprehensive game streaming services. Other companies can develop tap-to-pay apps, and users can easily change their default browser.
iOS 18: Biggest iOS Update
According to Gurman, iOS 18 has the potential to be the most significant update in iPhone history. While details are forthcoming, two features are already known, those include:
RCS Support in Messages
Announced in November 2023, iOS 18 will likely support RCS in the Messages app, enhancing the default messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices.
This includes higher-resolution media sharing, audio messages, typing indicators, read receipts, Wi-Fi messaging between iPhones and Androids, improved group chats, and enhanced encryption.
Smarter Siri with Generative AI
iOS 18 is expected to introduce generative AI technology, improving Siri and the Messages app’s ability to handle questions and auto-complete sentences. Gurman suggests Apple is exploring similar AI features for other apps like Apple Music, Pages, Keynote, and Xcode.
Reports suggest large language models will also automate complex tasks, integrating with the Shortcuts app, potentially arriving in 2024.
Release Timeline
iOS 18 is set to be released in September, with the developer beta available during Apple’s WWDC in June.
Mark Gurman, commenting on iOS 18, stated,
I’ve been informed that the upcoming operating system is regarded within the company as not just one of the biggest iOS updates, but possibly the very biggest in the company’s history. Stay tuned for further details.