Apple unveiled its latest iPhone 16 lineup, which includes the entry-level iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and the top-of-the-line iPhone 16 Pro Max, at its “It’s Glowtime” event on September 9. The new phones, which will run iOS 18 out of the box, will go on sale on September 20. However, those with older supported iPhone models will be able to try out Apple’s latest mobile operating system before future iPhone 16 owners. Apple will begin rolling out iOS 18 to supported devices on Monday.
The latest major version of iOS comes with a ton of customization options that allow users to change the shades and colors of icons, freely rearrange apps on the home screen, customize widgets to their liking, and more. However, it is worth noting that the main Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18, which use generative AI and offer a revamped Siri, will arrive at a later date with another update. The Apple Intelligence features will work on all iPhone 16 models, but will only be supported on iPhone 15 Pro models when it comes to older devices.
iOS 18 Implementation Time
As mentioned, iOS 18 will begin rolling out globally on September 16, Apple has confirmed. While the iPhone maker did not provide a release time, previous major iOS releases have been rolling out at 10 AM PST (10:30 PM India time) on the first day.
Supported iPhone models
iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) and iPhone XR and newer models will be compatible with the iOS 18 update. All supported models include:
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- iPhone SE (3rd generation)
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
Once the iOS 18 update is available, you can go to Settings > General > Software Update to download and install the latest version of the operating system.
iOS 18 Features
While Apple Intelligence features will arrive later, iOS will launch with a host of improvements. The latest version of iPhone OS will give users deeper control over customizing their home screen, allowing them to reorder apps and widgets as they see fit.
App icons and widgets also get a new, darker look, as users can apply shades of different colors or match the shade of the app icon to their wallpaper. In addition, users can also change the size of apps and widgets. Users can also lock or hide sensitive apps on the screen.
Control Center is getting a major overhaul, adding more controls that can be accessed with a single swipe down from the home screen. Users can also change the size and layout of controls in Control Center.
Apple has also redesigned the Photos app, introducing more categories to help you find photos and videos quickly. The Messages app is also getting a few new features, allowing users to add animated effects to any part of a message, including emojis. iOS 18 also adds support for RCS (Rich Communication Services) messages and the ability to schedule messages for later.
