iOS 18 is here: what awaits you in Apple’s new update?

After months of anticipation and beta testing, Apple will officially launch iOS 18 – the biggest update to the iPhone operating system yet. The update will arrive in Israel at 20:00. As with every new version launch, Apple continues to lead innovation in the mobile world, and this time presents a series of new features and tools that will make it easier for users and make the user experience more personal and comprehensive. Let’s dive in and find out what awaits us in iOS 18.

Upgraded privacy and information security
One of the prominent principles that has guided Apple over the years is a great emphasis on privacy and information security, and iOS 18 brings with it innovations that deepen the protection of users’ personal information. One of the most important innovations is “Privacy Guardian”, an advanced system for managing permissions that can alert the user when external apps or websites collect information without informing them. The privacy guard enables real-time analysis of the privacy settings, and allows with one click to cancel access to various applications for the camera, microphone, location and more. In addition, Apple is upgrading the cloud backup mechanism with an end-to-end encrypted backup option, to ensure that even Apple itself cannot access your information.

Improved design and customization
With iOS 18, Apple continues the customization trend that began in previous versions. This time with many more advanced capabilities that allow anyone to design the home screen and iPhone apps according to personal needs and preferences. One of the most exciting features is the widget upgrade. Now, they not only display static information, but also become fully interactive. For example, a music app widget allows not only to see the song that is playing but also to switch between songs and control the volume, directly from the home screen.

Another feature is the possibility to create dynamic themes (Dynamic Themes) that adapt themselves according to the time of day, the state of the battery, or even your geographical location. Users will be able to choose from a wide pool of themes or create their own unique design.

Significant improvements in the field of artificial intelligence
Apple continues to implement smarter AI capabilities into the operating system, with several improvements expected to make everyday use easier and help save time. Artificial intelligence will be integrated not fully but gradually. Siri is expected to become more interactive and smarter. Soon it will be able to understand more complex contexts and perform consecutive actions based on previous conversations with the user. For example, if you ask Siri to send a message to a friend and then mention “he”, Siri will know who you meant from the previous context of the conversation.

Apple adds new capabilities for automatic image recognition. iOS 18 will recognize objects, texts and even emotions from the photos you’ve taken, and will allow you to arrange them in more sophisticated albums, such as “photos with smiles” or “photos with the sun”.

Extensive upgrades to the gaming experience
Apple does not neglect the gaming experience and in iOS 18 it brings new tools for developers as well as features that improve performance for end users. One of the new and exciting features is the expanded support for AR (augmented reality) games. Now, Apple’s new AR engine is able to scan and analyze large spaces more accurately, enabling multiplayer AR experiences that feel more natural and comfortable. For the first time, Apple adds a “Gaming Mode” that allows users to maximize the performance of the device during heavy games, by silencing notifications and incoming calls and allocating dedicated resources to the graphics processor.

Upgrades to the built-in apps
As part of the update, Apple continues to improve the applications built into the iPhone devices and adds advanced features to them. The health application receives a significant upgrade with iOS 18. New tools for advanced sleep monitoring have been added to it, which includes the identification of different sleep patterns and even a feature that provides personalized recommendations to improve sleep quality.

The familiar messaging app gets new features like voice messages that can be automatically converted to text in real time, allowing users to hear voice messages even in situations where they can’t listen.

General improvements to the interface
iOS 18 includes a series of additional improvements in the user interface, which make use more convenient and efficient. Apple is upgrading the Quick Access Menu so that you can access the camera tool, the flashlight, and other functions with just one touch – even from the lock screen. The operating system now supports better multitasking, with the ability to run many apps at the same time more smoothly, and to split the screen to suit multitasking.

As a reminder, this Wednesday at midnight the pre-sale of the new iPhones from the 16 series will also begin. For an iPhone 16 with 128 gigabyte memory you will pay NIS 4,099. For a memory of 256 gigabytes you will part with NIS 4,649. The price of iPhone 16 with 512 gigabyte memory will jump to NIS 5,699. iPhone 16 Plus will start at a price of NIS 4,649, and the starting price of iPhone 16 Pro with 128 GB memory will reach NIS 5,199. The price of an iPhone 16 Pro with a memory of 1 TB will reach NIS 7,499. For an iPhone 16 Pro Max with 256 GB memory, the minimum for this type, you will pay NIS 6,149, an increase to 512 GB will require NIS 7,149, and the most expensive device – a Pro Max with 1 TB memory, will cost you NIS 7,949.