Ahead of the official release of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro this Friday, Apple has finally pushed out its latest iOS 18 update for iPhone users. This is the most customisable iOS yet with more personalisation options to the home screen and control centre and new design tweaks for native apps including Photos, Messages and Mail.
Which iPhone models are compatible with iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence?
The latest iOS 18 is compatible with iPhone SE (2nd generation) and iPhone XS/XR and above. If your device can run on iOS 17, it will be able to support iOS 18. Those who are still holding on to their iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the original iPhone SE, will not be able to get this new update.
Apple Intelligence, which is Apple’s AI-assisted features, will only roll out starting next month. However, it is only compatible with iPhone models that run a minimum of A17 Pro or above. This means only the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will get Apple Intelligence.
How to download iOS 18?
It is advisable to backup your iPhone to iCloud before making the jump to iOS 18. You can do so by going to Settings > tap on your Apple ID at the top > iCloud > Device Backups (iCloud Backup) > Back Up Now.
To download iOS 18, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
If you’re not on the latest version of iOS 17 (iOS 17.7), you can skip to iOS 18 immediately. Just tap on the panel at the bottom of the screen to “Upgrade to iOS 18”.
What’s new with iOS 18?
iOS 18 is now probably the closest thing to an Android when it comes to customisation. For the first time, Apple is allowing iPhone users to rearrange the widgets and app icons while leaving empty spaces in between. So you can finally put all the app icons at the bottom row icon so that your wallpaper remains visible on the home screen.
In addition, you can customise the look of the icons for dark mode or simply add a colour tint effect for a monotone appearance. iOS 18 even allows you to choose the size of the icons too.
The control centre which is home to vital shortcut controls has been upgraded to provide greater levels of customisation and flexibility. You can now add extra panels and shortcuts for your frequently used tools and smart appliances, including new options from third-party apps.
Meanwhile, the photos app has also received its biggest revamp yet to help you find and relive special moments easier. By default, you can get a single view to display all your photos and videos in a grid format and iOS 18 now offers a new carousel view which presents highlights which are updated on a daily basis.
Other notable new feature is a new password app which helps to store encrypted passwords, passcodes and verification codes under one roof. Besides Apple’s ecosystem covering Macs and iPads, the new password app is also compatible with Windows.
You can learn more about the new iOS 18 features in our previous post.
In case you missed it, Malaysia is currently in the first wave of countries to get the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro on 20th September.
