For months, Apple’s iOS 18 operating system has been hyped up as the most significant iPhone software update in years. Now, Apple has shared the complete list of upgrades found in iOS 18, and it contains a few surprises that Apple has kept quiet up until now.
The complete list can be found in a PDF on Apple’s website, and there’s also a separate PDF containing the list of changes coming to iPadOS 18 (right now, there doesn’t seem to be a PDF for new features in macOS Sequoia). The documents contain detailed breakdowns of the operating systems’ features, with everything sorted into categories for easy reading.
There are plenty of familiar features that Apple has talked about before. For instance, the iOS 18 list begins with Apple Intelligence, with sections for writing tools, the Image Playground, Siri, Genmoji, and more. Many of the features will be familiar if you have followed Apple’s announcements and third-party round-ups (such as our own).
Still, it’s worth browsing the articles to see exactly what you can expect and how you might be able to make use of the new features.
That said, among all the previously discussed features are a few that have received very little airtime. For example, MacRumors points out that the following features are either relatively unknown or have not been revealed by Apple before:
- In iOS 18, you can use spatial audio with CarPlay, provided you have a compatible vehicle. It will work with Apple Music and other third-party apps. Spatial audio with Dolby Atmos is also available.
- Speaking of spatial audio, it now works when using AirPlay to stream audio from an iPhone to a HomePod (or other third-party AirPlay-compatible speakers)
- Wi-Fi-based Matter accessories can be added and controlled locally in Apple’s Home app without the need for a home hub.
- Live Voicemail will be available in more regions and languages. That includes English (U.K., Australia, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Puerto Rico), Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico), French (France), German (Germany), Japanese (Japan), Mandarin Chinese (Mainland, Taiwan, Macao), Cantonese (Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao), and Portuguese (Brazil).
While these are mostly small changes, it is interesting to see some of the lesser-known additions and updates that will be available in iOS 18. Apple says its new operating systems, including iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, will be available to download on Monday, September 16, when you’ll be able to try out everything new for yourself.