iOS 18: These New Features Will Make You Want to Upgrade
According to Apple, iOS 18 is installed on 76 percent of iPhones released in the past four years—an improvement over last year's adoption of iOS 17. An upcoming upgrade aims to push this figure even higher. iOS 18.4 offers a clearer preview of the forthcoming enhancements. Here’s a look at the latest features in the next iPhone update.
iOS 18.4: New Emojis and Apps
Even if you’re not interested in Apple Intelligence features, iOS 18.4 still has something for you. The update introduces a set of new emojis. In total, there are eight new graphics you can send to friends and family starting in April. These emojis were announced back in September, but they’re only now becoming available. They are part of Emoji Version 16.0 and include:
- Face with dark circles under eyes
- Fingerprint
- Leafless tree
- Root vegetable
- Harp
- Shovel
- Paint splash
- Flag of Sark
Additionally, Apple has delivered the promised apps for iPhone and Vision Pro in the second beta of iOS 18.4. If you own an Apple headset, you’ll see a new app for the high-end 3D glasses on your smartphone. This app provides key technical data about the Vision Pro and offers recommendations on new content you can watch.
On the Vision Pro itself, visionOS 2.4 Beta 2 introduces the Spatial Gallery, where you can explore new 3D photos and videos.
New Features for Apple Intelligence
As expected, the software update also includes several AI enhancements. Apple is introducing better control over the newly introduced “Prioritized Notifications.” Now, you can specify which apps are allowed to send you these push notifications. iOS 18.4 automatically detects which notifications might be important to you and highlights them on the lock screen using “Prioritized Notifications.”
For owners of the iPhone 15 Pro (review), Pro Max, and iPhone 16e (review), iOS 18.4 Beta 2 adds access to Visual Intelligence. While the standard iPhone 16 models can activate this feature by double-tapping the camera controls, this option was previously missing on the three other models. Now, you can assign Visual Intelligence to the Action Button, and there’s also a new Control Center toggle for it.
Speaking of Control Center, iOS 18.4 introduces new options for Siri. You can now select between two new buttons: “Talk to Siri” and “Type to Siri” when calling the assistant.
iOS 18.4: More Small Tweaks in Beta 2
The editors at MacRumors have identified additional changes in iOS 18.4. Users can now pause downloads directly from the App Store update list and resume them from the same location, making app management more convenient.
The Shortcuts app also introduces new actions for Apple’s native apps, particularly benefiting users who create custom workflows. Many of these commands enable finer control over app settings, such as configuring navigation preferences in Apple Maps.
According to 9to5Mac, these new features suggest Apple is laying the groundwork for future Siri improvements. The new, more precise commands will enhance the virtual assistant’s capabilities while also being useful for personal shortcuts.
In the Photos app, Apple now provides more direct access to restoring or permanently deleting images from the virtual trash bin. Meanwhile, the Wallet app gains a new menu for managing “Subscriptions & Payments,” allowing users to oversee Apple Pay-authorized transactions.
iOS 18.4 Beta 2 is now available for all compatible iPhones, including the iPhone 16e and iPhone 12. The latter had issues with the first preview. Alongside the upcoming iPhone update, Apple has also released the second beta versions of iPadOS 18.4, macOS 15.4, visionOS 2.4, watchOS 11.4, and tvOS 18.4.
