Apple has not only announced that the new iOS 18 will bring a variety of new features and improvements but has also finally communicated details on how the most important player in today’s digital business envisions the integration of AI. This announcement—rightly so—was eagerly anticipated. And Apple has not disappointed most experts.
AI will be deeply integrated as a feature within the iOS operating system. With this, Apple lays the foundation for AI-powered features and capabilities to increasingly become a part of the daily lives of hundreds of millions of users.
The integration of advanced AI features, referred to as “Apple Intelligence,” includes an enhanced version of Siri, which is now capable of responding to requests more naturally and intelligently. Additionally, there will be new AI functions in apps like Messages, Photos, and Safari, including automated transcriptions and the creation of custom emojis (see more at 9to5Mac).
In the following, we will focus on the aspects that are particularly important and exciting for app providers—regardless of the segment they operate in.
Apps Gain Even More Power
With iOS 18, Apple introduces new features that, for the first time, enable direct communication between apps. Previously, only links between apps were possible, but not functional connections.
One of these features is the use of advanced AI tools that allow apps to process data more efficiently and interact with each other. For example, the Apple Maps app could automatically add a route to a store if another app creates a shopping list and marks a product as available.
Furthermore, Siri will be able to control individual functions within apps, such as opening specific documents or moving files between folders. This enhanced in-app control by Siri enables deeper integration and collaboration between different applications on the device. All apps will soon be able to implement these functionalities in a simple and highly useful way.
Apple’s Vision: To deliver users a seamless and more efficient experience that connects the offerings of various apps, thereby enabling entirely new use cases.
Optimization of Push Notifications
Push notifications are a crucial factor for almost all app users today. Both Apple and Google have been working for several years to optimize the user experience related to how these notifications are displayed on the lock screen. Many users receive a large number of push notifications, making it challenging to keep track of them all.
iOS 18 introduces AI-powered features that can automatically summarize notifications. These summaries help users quickly grasp the most important information from a multitude of notifications without needing to open each one individually. Additionally, the AI attempts to recognize which notifications are most important in a given context and moment.
Enhanced Protection with Biometric Features
The protection of apps through Face ID authentication is made easier for all apps. Additionally, there’s a new feature allowing apps to be hidden in a secret folder, making them harder to find. This is particularly appealing for apps that contain sensitive, highly confidential information.
Data protection in the event of theft is also improved (see our blog post here). With the new ability to remotely control your iPhone and apps using your Mac computer, new options arise, such as locking apps or deleting data—even if you don’t have direct access to the device.
More Customization Options
Customization is another key focus of the iOS 18 update. In many of Apple’s applications, users can now influence the design, with the most significant changes occurring on the new Home Screen and in the Control Center.
For the first time, the Home Screen can be fully customized by the user, even removing the requirement to place apps in a predetermined grid. Users can place icons wherever they prefer. The design of the icons themselves can also be completely customized, with options for personalized styles in Light and Dark Mode and the freedom to choose colors.
The Control Center is also getting a refresh, offering many more customization options. Through the Controls Gallery, users can freely configure the arrangement and size of the switches in the Control Center.
Other Announcements with Potential
Another significant innovation is the support for Rich Communication Services (RCS), which enhances communication between iPhone and Android users. RCS offers features such as read receipts, typing indicators, and the ability to send high-resolution images and videos. This is intended to replace traditional SMS and MMS communication, enabling more seamless communication across different platforms. It could potentially be an exciting alternative to WhatsApp.
Summary
After several years of relatively modest updates, iOS 18 brings a host of exciting innovations for app providers. It remains to be seen how “Apple Intelligence” will precisely impact the user experience and the ability to use and control apps, but the possibilities have many experts more excited than they have been in a long time.
Given that Apple has clearly put a lot of thought and investment into this update, it can be summarized: mobile apps are in for exciting times as AI will create entirely new possibilities in the medium term. Apple may be the company with the power to make AI accessible to the mass market.
Or, as Apple itself stated in the presentation: “AI For Everyone.”