iOS 18: Six new options coming to iPhone

Whereas new AI options will steal the present at WWDC this week, Apple has plenty of different adjustments deliberate for iOS 18. This consists of new dwelling display customization choices, design adjustments, and extra. Head under for a roundup of a few of the non-AI options rumored for iOS 18 this yr.

Place icons anyplace on the house display

Rumors say that Apple will let customers freely place app icons and widgets on their Dwelling Display for the primary time. This implies iPhone customers will be capable to break away from the present fastened aligned grid, and create gaps between widgets and app icons.

This matches performance provided on Android. Moreover, the iPad at the moment lets customers place widgets (however not app icons) anyplace on the house display.

Theming app icons

One other large change coming to the iOS 18 dwelling display would be the capacity to customise app icons. Based on Bloomberg, this new function will let customers “change the colour of app icons” on a system-wide degree for the primary time.

We’re nonetheless ready for extra particulars on how precisely this can work. The instance provided by Bloomberg suggests you could possibly “make all of your social icons blue or finance-related ones inexperienced.”

Apple Maps upgrades

Apple Maps will reportedly add assist for a brand new customized route creation function with iOS 18.

Customized route creation would allow iPhone customers to design their very own particular routes for a visit, quite than counting on one of many routes recommended by Apple Maps. At present, Apple Maps affords a number of route choices to your vacation spot, however this function in iOS 18 would offer you full management over the exact particulars of your journey.

Management Middle revamp

Based on Bloomberg, iOS 18 will deliver a revamped Management Middle performance to iPhone customers. The brand new Management Middle design will function an up to date music widget, in addition to enhancements to HomeKit integration.

At present, iOS will “intelligently” select as much as six equipment to show within the Dwelling part of Management Middle. This format, nonetheless, is managed mechanically and isn’t all the time nice at surfacing the precise controls customers are in search of. Whereas Bloomberg doesn’t provide particular particulars on what iOS 18 will do to enchancment HomeKit assist in Management Middle, ideally, one space of focus will probably be giving customers that added customization.

Textual content results in Messages

A report final week recommended that iOS 18 will add textual content impact assist to the Messages app. Based on MacRumors, this function will let customers “add animations to particular person phrases inside a message.”

New Settings app

Lastly, iOS 18 will reportedly embody a brand new model of the Settings app for iPhone customers. The brand new Settings app will allegedly function a revamped interface with improved group, in addition to extra highly effective seek for simply discovering the settings you’re in search of.

9to5Mac’s Take

Whereas I’m excited to see the AI options in iOS 18, I can’t assist however suppose lots of iPhone customers will probably be extra within the new dwelling display customization choices. The discharge of iOS 14 in 2020 with assist for dwelling display spurred a viral ecosystem of customers trying to personalize their dwelling display. It seems like iOS 18 will ship on a few of the extra customization choices that customers have been asking for since then.

What are you most excited to see in iOS 18? Tell us down within the feedback.

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