Look, I'm not saying Apple took its sweet time, but iOS 18 finally lets you customize your iPhone in a way Android users have scoffed at for years. It's like showing up late to a party and bringing potato salad—it's still appreciated, but everyone's already drunk and past the salad phase.
Big Kahuna finally gives you the freedom to slap your icons and widgets wherever the hell you want, which sounds great until you realize your screen now looks like a toddler's art project. But hey, at least now you can look your smug Android friends in the eye and say, 'I'm free too, man. I am also free. Let's review every single news item and bore ourselves to death, shall we?
Customization: Your iPhone, Your Journey
I think one of the most significant things they changed with the iOS 18 upgrade is the amount of freedom Apple allows its users. Home screen customization has been a bit of a sore spot for many Apple users (and made them an easy target for Team Android because, well, what kind of phone doesn't let you play around with your home screen layout). But I'm happy to report that with iOS 18, Apple has finally caught up — and in some ways even surpassed its green-faced rival.
The new home screen layout options are quite a breath of fresh air. iPhone users can now place app icons and widgets anywhere on the screen, breaking away from the rigid grid system of previous iOS versions. This means you can create unique layouts that frame your wallpaper or group apps together in a way that makes sense to you. It's a level of personalization that iPhone users have craved for years.
iOS 18 also introduces options to customize app icons. Now you can choose between light, dark or automatic modes for your icons, or even use a shade to complement your wallpaper. Another long overdue thing is the ability to resize the damn icons. This means you can finally give your phone a more streamlined look. Sure, it probably seems like a small thing, but it's pretty effective in changing the way you interact with your phone. It's refreshing to see Apple finally embrace user choice in this area.
But do you know what confusion is? In fact, I liked the old layout so much that now any customization I try to do on my new 16 Pro looks so bad. This option to change the layout turns out to be completely unnecessary for me.
Control Center: Power at your fingertips
Control Center has always been a quick way to access basic settings, but iOS 18 takes it up a notch and in one of the best ways possible.. The redesigned Control Center is now more flexible and powerful than ever. Again, customization is the name of the game here. Now you can resize and arrange all the controls to your liking. So this way you can really sort out your most used functions and make sure they are always within reach.
Apple also kind of introduced this new thing called control groups—which include categories like Favorites, Media Playback, Home Controls, and Connections—make navigation even more intuitive. Something I really appreciated was the ability to include third-party widgets in the Control Center. Now you can use all these key features in downloaded apps without opening them.
If you have an iPhone with an action button (15/16 Pro and Pro Max), iOS 18 lets you link it to any Control Center feature. I don't quite see a use case here for the everyday Joe, but I'm sure there's some creative out there who will really, really appreciate it.
Photos app: A new way to relive memories
The Photos app stepped away from the customization party for a second and just got what Apple calls its “biggest redesign ever” in iOS 18. And I agree. It's completely different from what we're used to in previous iterations, offering a new, improved way to explore and rediscover your photos and videos. The app now includes new collections like Recent Days, People & Pets, and Trips, making it easier to find and relive specific memories.
One thing to note is that your entire photo library will now be displayed on a single screen. Some people like it, others, well, they might need some time to adjust. However, I was impressed with the in-app search feature. I've noticed that even writing photo captions will find you exactly what you need. WITH
Something I really liked and actually didn't expect at all is the fact iOS 18 somehow scanned my gallery for receipt photos and then neatly organized everything into different folders. Really helpful when I need to file a tax return, honestly. But that's just a small example of how your gallery has been enhanced with this upgrade.
Then again, as with any major redesign, there will likely be a learning curve as people become familiar with the new system.
News: Improved communication
The Messages app received several upgrades in iOS 18 that make communication more expressive and convenient. Users can now schedule messages to send later, respond to messages with multiple Tapbacks, and format text with various effects (there are things like explosions, ripples, bounces, and more) for emphasis. However, one of the most anticipated features is the introduction of RCS (Rich Communication Services) support.
This brings iPhone messaging more in line with modern Android messaging, enabling features like read receipts, writing indicators, and higher quality media sharing when communicating with Android users. Such a compromise situation that your friends don't think you're Team Apple or Team Android. No one can know now. Or can they?
And if you find yourself in a situation where you don't have much cellular coverageiOS 18 now comes with Satellite Messages. In fact, it's very similar to the SOS emergency satellite feature that Apple released a while back. It's a potentially life-saving feature for hikers, campers, or anyone looking to relax in remote areas where things could quickly turn into a slasher movie type situation.
Apple Intelligence: The Future of iOS (and Why You Should Upgrade)
So one of the biggest problems with AI (Apple Intelligence) is the fact that it wasn't available at launch. Which is a bit disappointing as most users find buying or upgrading based on the promise of an eventual software update pointless. They want to see it now. But actually, I think the gamble here is worth it. This AI-powered system will be deeply integrated into iOS 18, offering features such as improved typing tools, personalized image creation, and a more capable Siri (which, by the way, has also undergone a change).
Thanks to Apple Intelligence, the Photos application will also be greatly enhanced, with features like creating custom memory movies based on user descriptions, more powerful natural language search capabilities, and a Clean-Up tool to remove distracting objects from images. These improvements could make managing and using photo libraries a much more intuitive and fun experience.
You also have this new feature called smart summarization that it will offer condensed versions of various types of content, including emails, group chats and even audio recordings. Honestly, this is a huge win for many professionals or even students who need to take notes from lectures. Now, you could argue that most of these features are already available on Android through third-party apps. It doesn't necessarily have to be an upgrade or even buy a new iPhone for it all.
That's what I call it, it's Apple. i know Samsung is able to use iOS any given day of the week, but damn if Apple ain't sure je ne sais quoi when it comes to these things. Apple also provides new app intents, APIs, and frameworks for developers to integrate Apple Intelligence features into their apps. This opens up possibilities for improved functionality across a range of apps, which can lead to a more cohesive and intelligent app ecosystem on iOS.
Of course, the rollout of Apple Intelligence will start in US English. Fortunately, however, Apple has announced plans to expand its AI to other English-speaking countries and other languages over time. This feature will be supported on all iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max models, as well as iPads and Macs with M1 chips or later. Then again, this is all what Apple does claims he can do that. How well the execution will be on this one – only time will tell.
Verdict: Should you go for it?
You see, we've barely scratched the surface when it comes to iOS 18 features and improvements, and the answer to whether it's worth upgrading is a resounding yes. I mean, just look at the level of customization you get with this new control center, every single thing we talked about is more than enough reason to upgrade.
Sure, some of these changes may take some getting used to, but the overall package offers substantial improvements to the iOS experience over what we've done so far. As always, I strongly advise my readers to back up their devices before upgrading. Also, be prepared for potential minor bugs in the initial release. You know, the occasional slight warm up, some lag here and there. It's part of Apple's ritual every time it releases a new version of iOS. Don't worry though, all these issues will be fixed in future updates anyway. Also, the benefits of iOS 18 far outweigh any short-term inconveniences.
Frequently asked questions
Can I opt out of Apple Intelligence features if I have privacy concerns?
One thing Apple made clear during the launch is that it will have detailed control over the Intelligence features. That and the fact that the entire system was built to maximize user privacy and prevent data leaks. However, I understand that this may not necessarily be reassuring enough for some of our readers. So yes, Apple will most likely give us the ability to disable specific features (or even the entire system) if you want. However, one has to wait for the official launch to confirm it.
Are there any new privacy features in iOS 18?
iOS 18 introduces new privacy features such as locked and hidden apps that allow users to keep certain apps and their content private. You can use Face ID or your device's passcode to protect your content.
Are there any new accessibility features in iOS 18?
Yes. iOS 18 came with some really cool new accessibility features like eye tracking, music haptics, voice shortcuts, and vehicle motion cues. It will go a long way in making technology accessible to people of all backgrounds and abilities.
