iOS 18 release date, new features – how to check your iPhone’s compatibility

After being announced at Apple’s WWDC Developers Conference in June, it’s finally time to release iOS 18 around the world. This all-new operating system brings a host of improvements to iPhones and also offers a completely new way to customize the look of your home screen – a first for Apple!

If you’ve been looking forward to getting your hands on this free add-on, here’s everything you need to know, including the expected release date, the full list of compatible iPhones, and what’s new.

When will iOS 18 arrive on your iPhone?

Apple has confirmed that iOS 18 will be released tomorrow, September 16. The only thing we don’t know is the exact time, as Apple never reveals when it will start rolling out the devices.

Looking at previous reports, Express.co.uk expects iOS 18 to launch around 6pm BST, although it’s worth noting that in different regions this software may receive additional power at different times to avoid overloading Apple’s servers, so be patient.

Is your iPhone compatible?

Apple offers iOS 18 for most modern devices like iPhone 14, iPhone 12 and iPhone 11. Even if you have an iPhone XS or iPhone SE, you’re still in luck.

Check below to see if your iPhone is compatible

iPhone 16 • iPhone 16 Plus • iPhone 16 Pro • iPhone 16 Pro Max (released on Friday)

iPhone 15 • iPhone 15 Plus • iPhone 15 Pro • iPhone 15 Pro Max

iPhone 14 • iPhone 14 Plus • iPhone 14 Pro • iPhone 14 Pro Max

iPhone 13 • iPhone 13 mini • iPhone 13 Pro • iPhone 13 Pro Max

iPhone 12 • iPhone 12 mini • iPhone 12 Pro • iPhone 12 Pro Max

iPhone 11 • iPhone 11 Pro • iPhone 11 Pro Max

iPhone XS • iPhone XS Max • iPhone XR • iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)

While iOS 18 is compatible with all the phones mentioned above, Apple Intelligence, which comes as part of this update later this year, won’t work unless you have an iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro. Read more about Apple Intelligence below.

What’s new in iOS 18?

After installation, users can customize their home screen thanks to improved customization. It’s one of the biggest changes Apple has ever made and makes the iPhone feel a little more like Android, a much more open operating system.

There’s even the ability to add unique color shades to apps and hide certain apps behind extra security. You can also move apps anywhere on the screen, so things are no longer stuck to the standard brushed grid system.

In addition to making your devices look more unique, Control Center also has a big new design where you can create groups and customize the things you use the most. Apple says the redesign provides quick access to new groups of the user’s most used controls, such as media playback, home controls and connectivity, and the ability to easily swipe between each.

Users can also add controls from supported third-party apps to Control Center for the first time. This means you can quickly unlock your vehicle or jump right into capturing content for social media – all in one place.

Another bonus is the ability to add certain controls to the lock screen, which makes accessing them faster. For example, you can now add things like Calculator, Timer, Dark Mode or Shazam to the bottom of the screen with one tap to open things.

Other changes in this release include the redesigned Photos app, which makes it easier to find photos. Photo libraries are automatically organized into a new, single view in Photos, and helpful new collections keep favorites easily accessible.

There are better ways to message friends, including more reactions and the ability to schedule conversations to be sent at certain times of the day.

A new password app has been added to the release to keep all these codes more secure, and the Safari browser will automatically recognize the relevant information on the page and highlight it as you browse.

iOS 18 is also the key to unlocking Apple Intelligence, which will arrive on some devices later this year.

What is Apple Intelligence?

Apple Intelligence can rewrite your emails to make them friendlier or more professional, prioritize messages so you see the most important things first, summarize emails, and even create unique emojis – a feature called Genmoji – that can then be added to your texts.

Apple also boasts that its intelligence can make your digital life easier by helping you find things faster.

For example, if your parents have emailed you about their flight home, you can simply ask a fully refreshed Siri assistant, “What time does my mom’s flight land,” and Apple Intelligence will instantly find the flight number in the original email and show it to you. the time it is due to arrive on the screen. You can then ask a follow-up question, such as “What time should I pick them up?” on your iPhone and then show you where you need to go and how long it will take.

Other additional features coming to Apple Intelligence include copying audio recordings to editable text, retouching and removing things from images with one touch of the screen – using the Clean Up tool, and even creating completely unique images by writing a description. about what you want to see.

Apple also integrated the popular ChatGPT service into the experience, allowing users to tap into its expertise — as well as its image and document understanding capabilities — without having to jump between tools.

“We’re excited to introduce iOS 18. It’s a huge release with incredible features, including new levels of customization and features, a redesigned Photos app, and powerful ways to stay connected with Messages. There are so many benefits for everyone,” said Craig Federighi, Director of Software Development at Apple.

“This release also marks the beginning of a hugely exciting new era of personal intelligence, with Apple Intelligence delivering intuitive, powerful and instantly useful experiences that will transform the iPhone experience, with privacy at the heart. We can’t wait for users to experience it.”