iOS 18 released by Apple: Is it worth updating iPhone?

The time has finally come Update your iPhone to iOS 18The stable version was released on Monday (16). According to TecMundo editor Wellington Arruda, this is one of the biggest and best system updates Apple has ever made.

Been using iOS 18 since the first developer betaaccess to a range of customization options, app improvements, and enhanced security. New features based on big tech’s artificial intelligence are also part of the package.

There are in total Over 260 new features in iOS 18According to Apple’s official document, the system is divided between customization, Siri, Apple Intelligence, security, etc. But as Arruda emphasizes, many of them are repeated and in practice the number is smaller.

Then TecMundo offers: Key new features of iOS 18 Why it’s worth installing the new iPhone update, according to Wellington Arruda

Customization

This is probably Apple’s biggest design and customization overhaul to iOSWith the new iOS 18, you can place your home screen app icons and widgets wherever you want. This gives you the same freedom to make the system look the way you want, as you do on Android.

This is also possible choose to use the dark version as well as choose larger icons on the home screen — this option makes things more minimalist by removing the names of apps and folders. But you can choose the dominant color of both apps and widgets if you want.

Already on the lock screen, now possible Changing the flashlight and camera shortcuts is a small change, but one that users have been asking for for a whileApple also did a major redesign of Control Center, letting you define up to 15 pages, leaving one more general, another focused on media, and so on.

Security

Perhaps the main new feature of iOS 18 in terms of security Ability to block apps with authentication, choose between Face ID and Touch ID, or hide them in the app galleryThis change prevents the user from “compromising” to provide greater privacy.

Just press an icon and choose “Require Face ID” or “Require Touch ID.” In the next pop-up, you choose between using authentication to block the app or adding an extra layer to hide the app. This way, the app won’t appear in system search, Siri, sharing, or other areas..

The company has also added this option. choose which contacts to share with an appYou can edit this list at any time.

Photos App

The native Photos app also looked different with the update. Now it brings image with image grid on topbut it’s divided into three main columns: images by year, month, or “all.”

There are more simplified filters, wallpaper suggestions, and a dedicated area for Memories. This feature lets you: use Apple AI to identify a memoryFor example, we bring together all the images that could be part of a trip.

A new feature based on artificial intelligence has been added to the application. Now you will be able to Easily delete objects from a sceneTap , select the tool in the editing area, and then tap or select the object you want to remove.

Apple too changed the method of controlling playback speedincluding the layout when playing the video. The user can even choose to edit a photo or video using the system’s light or dark mode.

Another interesting innovation is Advanced search in Photos app. However, you can use more natural language to find an image or video. Taking it even further, the tool lets you search for specific moments in videos, like “show me videos of me falling over on my skateboard.”

Camera

The iPhone Camera app has received improvements such as: Ability to pause and continue recordings in a single filesomething iOS lacks. Also, if you’re listening to music with Bluetooth headphones and want to record, playback will no longer be interrupted, which is good for filming yourself skateboarding, at the gym, etc.

You can now also select: five-second timer optionWe recall that previously only three and 10-second alternatives were available.

New Siri

Virtual Assistant Siri Gets a Boost with iOS 18, Brings Apple Intelligence-Based Improvementsand a new animation. It now provides more complete responses by better understanding the content of emails, messages, photos, calendar events, and files.

The sounds are also more natural and Siri will be able to “see” your screenYou might want to request something you’re already viewing, like an album cover or a place you’d potentially like to visit.

This new version of Apple’s virtual assistant comes at a good time. Siri hasn’t been prominent on the company’s systems for a while and at least seemed to represent something of a minimum among updates in recent years.

With the update, perform actions within assistant applications. For example, when editing an image, you can ask: “Siri, make this photo warmer” and then the adjustments will be made. It will also be possible to add the photos viewed to the Notes application, thus allowing it to interact more with the system’s applications.

Among other improvements, the user will be able to: Easier typing and more natural speaking to SiriFor example, you might start a conversation by asking what the weather is like in São Paulo, but then completely change the context mid-conversation.

These are the relevant changes, but they are not yet fully available in this first version of iOS 18In the future, Siri (and iOS 18 itself) will support ChatGPT, offering more advanced responses and allowing you to ask questions within photos and documents.

Artificial intelligence / Apple Intelligence

One of the main new features of iOS 18 is Apple Intelligence. However, There is no artificial intelligence system yet in this first version of the systemIt is expected to be available with the iOS 18.1 update, which is in beta.

There are a lot of cool things that Apple is exploring in these beta versions of iOS 18.1. For example, writing tools include: options to rewrite text with different stylessuch as a more professional, concise, or friendly tone.

There is also one Tool to correct grammatical errors and improve textas well as being able to summarize a larger document or use ChatGPT to create text from scratch based on some information.

There is also a Display Playground. create new images with text promptsmix images and more. You can even create visuals from photos of people you know.

Apple Intelligence also covers: new perfect focus modeThe app uses artificial intelligence to understand the best time to send important notifications and uses Genmoji to create new stickers based on simple text.

Already Mail app gains summaries, email previews, content prioritization, and moreLike “Smart Reply,” also found in the Messages app, which generates replies from received content.

Accessibility

Apple added others Four new features focused on accessibilityOne of these is Eye Tracking, which lets you navigate your iPhone using just your eyes, but there are also more practical voice shortcuts (Vocal Shortcuts) for actions like setting a timer or taking a screenshot.

Other new features are reduced nausea when using a cell phone in the car and using all of the iPhone’s vibration motors to get the phone moving to the beat of a song. This last tool comes into play when you’re listening to a song.

Like this, Some people with hearing impairments may experience this when sound is reproduced.It is compatible with Apple Music and can be quickly activated or deactivated, but compatibility with other applications such as Spotify cannot be ruled out in the future.

Other features

iOS 18 also brings a few more features Small features but worth notingAmong these, it is worth emphasizing that:

• The Notes app now solves math problems, does real-time translation, and records audio directly;
• Game Mode, which promises to boost device performance to deliver better frame rates;
• Calendar now shows Reminders;
• Notifications are now categorized by priority and presented with a quick summary when they come from a single app, such as WhatsApp messages or emails;
• The new Passwords app brings together all your passwords, passkeys, verification codes, Wi-Fi codes, and other credentials;
• Calculator, which solves more complex math problems including variables, creates graphs, and lets you write mathematical expressions that are solved in real time;
• Phone App that now records calls, transcribes calls, and performs history search based on transcription to search for a specific topic under discussion;
• Recorder that also does transcription.

In addition to all these features, Apple, Reformulating the way to control your cell phone’s flashlightUsing simple gestures it is possible to define both the intensity and width of the flash.

Is it worth upgrading to iOS 18?

iOS 18 is undoubtedly one of the most important updates Apple has made to date. In addition to providing the user with more customization options, the company has also introduced new features that have been present on Android for years, but is important for the overall user experience.

We know many people are afraid to install the new version of the operating system right away, but iOS 18 only experienced battery drain issues in Wellington with the first developer beta. Everything worked normally on the iPhone 15 Pro Max used in tests since Monday.

Many people may find some features in this update to be minor, but important in allowing you to use your iPhone more fully. And of course, there is also the security issue surrounding the updates. It is always good to keep the system updated with fixes.

Anyway, If you still have concerns, Waiting a little longer is part of the gameBecause in any case, we’ll have to wait to see Apple Intelligence fully operational on iPhones.

So what do you think about the new iOS 18? Will you update your iPhone now or would you rather wait a little longer? Tell us about TecMundo’s social mediaDon’t forget to comment which feature you find the coolest in this update.