iOS 18 Launches with New Home Screen Options: Messages Overhaul, and More Exciting Features

Apple has released iOS 18, the newest software update for iPhones. This update comes out just before the launch of the new iPhone 16 and brings several changes, like updates to the Home Screen, Control Center, Messages app, and Photos app.

The iOS 18 update was first mentioned during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. At that time, Apple also introduced "Apple Intelligence," a new AI feature. However, this AI feature is not included in the current iOS 18 update and will be available in iOS 18.1 next month.

Here are some key highlights of the iOS 18 update:

• Home Screen and Control Center Customization

With iOS 18, you can now arrange app icons and widgets on your Home Screen in more flexible ways, placing them wherever there’s space. You can also make app icons and widgets larger or even remove their names. Plus, you can change the colors of apps and widgets or get suggestions that match your wallpaper.

Dark Mode now affects icons too, allowing them to change automatically when your phone enters Dark Mode, or you can keep them dark all the time.

In the Control Center, there’s more customization as well. You can now group controls, resize them, and view all available controls in a gallery display. It also supports third-party app controls.

 Messages App Updates

The Messages app in iOS 18 comes with new text effects, like animated ripples or nods for letters, words, and emojis in iMessage. You can also format your text, using bold, underline, strikethrough, or italics.

There are more "Tapback" reactions, which allow you to react to messages with emojis and stickers. You can also quickly access the reactions you and your friends use the most.

A "send later" feature lets you schedule messages to be delivered at a future time. iOS 18 also introduces support for Rich Communication Services (RCS), which brings delivery/read receipts and higher-quality photos and videos when messaging non-iPhone users.

 Passwords App

The new iOS 18 update includes a dedicated Passwords app, making it easier to manage your passwords. It was previously hidden in the Settings menu. You can also set up two-factor authentication codes directly in this app.

Photos App Redesign

The Photos app has a new look. It organizes your photo library into collections by topic. You can pin or customize these collections, and there’s a new “recent days” view. A filter button lets you sort your photos by media type, favorites, and more to reduce clutter.

Apple Intelligence

Although Apple Intelligence isn’t part of this update, it’s coming soon in iOS 18.1. When it launches, it will be available on iPhone 16 devices and iPhone 15 Pro models. This AI feature will help with tasks like writing emails, organizing files and photos, and searching. It will also include AI-generated emojis, called "Genmojis," and a new "Image Playground."

Other New Features

Some other additions in iOS 18 include live audio transcriptions, enhancements to Maps, a new "Tap to cash" feature in the Wallet app, the ability to adjust your flashlight’s beam width, a new option to restart your phone from the Control Center, and more ways to customize your Lock Screen.

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