Apple launched its latest iPhone 16 lineup, which includes the base model iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and the top-end iPhone 16 Pro Max, at its ‘It’s Glowtime’ event on September 9. The new phones, that will run on iOS 18 out-of-the-box, go on sale from September 20. However, people who own older supported iPhone models will be able to try out Apple’s latest mobile OS before future iPhone 16 owners do. Apple will begin rolling out iOS 18 on supported devices on Monday.
The latest major release of iOS comes with a ton of customisation options that let users change icon tints and colours, freely rearrange apps on the homescreen, tailor widgets to their liking, and more. It’s worth noting, however, that iOS 18’s headline Apple Intelligence features that utilise generative artificial intelligence and feature a revamped Siri will arrive at a later date with another update. Apple Intelligence features will run on all iPhone 16 models, but will only be supported on iPhone 15 Pro models when it comes to older devices.
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iOS 18 rollout time
As mentioned, iOS 18 will begin rolling out globally on September 16, Apple has confirmed. While the iPhone maker has not specified a time for the release, previous major iOS releases rolled out at 10am PT (10:30pm IST) on the first day.
Supported iPhone models
iPhone SE (second and third generation) and iPhone XR and later models will be compatible with the iOS 18 update. All supported models include:
iPhone SE (second generation)iPhone SE (third generation)iPhone XRiPhone XSiPhone XS MaxiPhone 11iPhone 11 ProiPhone 11 Pro MaxiPhone 12iPhone 12 miniiPhone 12 ProiPhone 12 Pro MaxiPhone 13iPhone 13 miniiPhone 13 ProiPhone 13 Pro MaxiPhone 14iPhone 14 PlusiPhone 14 ProiPhone 14 Pro MaxiPhone 15iPhone 15 PlusiPhone 15 ProiPhone 15 Pro Max
Once the iOS 18 update is available, you can head to Settings > General > Software Update to download and install the latest version of the OS.
iOS 18 Features
While Apple Intelligence features will arrive later, iOS will launch with a host of upgrades. The latest version of the iPhone OS will hand users deeper control over homescreen customisation, allowing them to rearrange apps and widgets as they please.
App icons and widgets are also getting a new darker look, as users can apply tints of various colours, or match the app icon tint to their wallpaper. Additionally, users can resize apps and widgets, as well. Users can also lock or hide sensitive apps from the screen.
The Control Centre is getting an overhaul, adding more controls that can be accessed with a single down swipe on the homescreen. Users can also resize and rearrange the layout of controls inside the Control Centre.
Apple has also redesigned the Photos app, bringing more categorisation to help find your photos and videos quickly. Messages app is also getting a few new features, letting users add animated effects to any portion of their message, including emojis. iOS 18 also adds support for RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging and the ability to schedule a message for later.