iOS 18 wishlist: 5 options I would wish to see Apple convey to the iPhone

Apple’s subsequent iOS model is rumored to characteristic a design overhaul, a number of long-awaited options, and the corporate’s interpretation of Siri within the age of AI. We’ll know precisely what’s coming in June, throughout Apple’s Worldwide Developer Convention. For now, one can solely want for what’s to return with iOS 18. 

Additionally: Apple confirms WWDC 2024 for June 10 – will AI steal the present?

Whereas UI parts impressed by the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional and a extra versatile residence display have additionally been rumored to reach with the upcoming software program model, there are a number of extra options that I am hoping to see. These embody my favorites from Android that, imagine it or not, make sensible sense on the iPhone to extra bold asks as a result of… why not(?). See under for my iOS 18 wishlist.

1. Large-screen options for big-screen iPhones

Android is healthier at multitasking than iOS, and I’ll die on that hill. Whereas Apple improved on that side with Dynamic Island, the iPhone stays a step behind Android when dealing with a number of duties without delay — and it is the one characteristic I miss essentially the most each time I am utilizing the iPhone once more as a main. Capabilities like multi or floating home windows can be very useful to have on iOS 18.

I am a big-screen cellphone person, and there have been occasions after I’ve researched and saved details about articles on my Android cellphone with Chrome and Google Hold operating concurrently — or calculated my invoices with Sheets and the calculator app operating as a pop-up window. Doing that’s extra intensive on the iPhone as a result of it’s important to change between apps.

Additionally: Apple’s mysterious iOS 17.4.1 and iPad OS 17.4.1 updates are literally crucial

It would not assist that presently, Apple’s method to optimizing software program for Plus and Professional Max fashions is to easily broaden present textual content and UI, which advantages readability greater than performance. The massive iPhones can simply run two apps on the identical display, permitting us to make precise use of the bigger actual property.

2. One of the best AI options that exist already

After utilizing the Galaxy S24 Extremely (Samsung’s “AI smartphone”) and the Google Pixel 8 Professional, I’ve a reasonably good concept of how AI will help make the iPhone expertise extra intuitive.

First, a type of Google’s Circle to Search to study extra about something that is on my display. For instance, the characteristic is useful after I see somebody carrying a selected sort of sneaker on Instagram and I wish to know extra about it, or after I uncover unfamiliar Twitter/X lingo. A press-and-hold of the iOS residence/gesture bar for a fast display scan and search can be very useful.

Additionally: How Apple’s AI advances might make or break the iPhone 16

Secondly, convey AI to the Pictures app for higher modifying! From Google’s Magic Editor to Samsung’s Generative Edit to OnePlus’ new AI eraser — all offer you a approach to edit out distracting objects and photobombers from pictures. Not solely are these enjoyable to mess around with however I usually use the instruments to take away strangers from a shot and let generative AI deal with the remainder by filling within the background.  

Lastly, a reside translation characteristic may very well be useful for frequent vacationers, with the iPhone with the ability to detect textual content and audio in one other language and provides me a popup to translate it to English or one other desired language, particularly in apps like Messages, WhatsApp, and Recordsdata.

3. A wiser, extra helpful Siri

The state of Siri, the iPhone’s voice assistant, is somewhat boring and gloomy; For a service that is accessible on thousands and thousands of iPhones worldwide, it is not as succesful as Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa. I would say it appears like an period away from each of them. 

Apple is alleged to be planning to enhance Siri with large-language fashions (LLMs), that are additionally utilized by chatbots like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Based on a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is engaged on making Siri and Messages work higher by permitting the voice assistant to auto-complete sentences.

Additionally: Apple reportedly eyeing generative AI push and Siri overhaul for the iPhone

If this occurs, it’s going to be much less painful to converse with Siri and it will doubtless reply your questions in a extra conversational method as a substitute of replying with some type of net search outcome. As an illustration, generative AI might permit Siri to clarify ideas, draft messages and emails, and even create pictures and visuals at your order, making it rather more of a creation instrument than it’s presently.

4. Higher notification administration, please

For so long as I can keep in mind utilizing Android and iOS, I’ve all the time most popular Android’s notification administration over iPhone’s. The notification abyss on iOS is disorganized and infrequently irritating to make use of. I do not wish to see a week-old notification if I simply interacted with the app. It might even be useful if the “Clear all” choice appeared extra constantly, as I usually discover myself needing to swipe away a number of notifications from the identical app, one after the other, simply to clear the alerts tray.

On Android, if there are a number of notifications from the identical app, say direct messages from associates on Instagram, they’re grouped along with a quantity depend. I can then swipe right down to see every message to work together with the one I need, or I can clear all of it with one swipe. 

Additionally: Find out how to allow notification historical past in your Android (and why you need to)

However on the iPhone, every app has its personal notifications they usually’re stacked solely when there are a number of messages from one sender. Add different providers like WhatsApp, Messages, Gmail, and you’ve got a chaotic Notification Middle ready for you very first thing within the morning. I hope that Apple takes a web page out of Android’s notification administration to make its system higher, extra intuitive, and simpler to navigate. Maybe an AI-powered abstract of your notifications once you get up within the morning? I digress.

5. Residence display freedom!

One of many largest shifts when switching from Android to iPhone is the extra inflexible residence display setup. I will give Apple its credit score, the newer addition of widgets in varied sizes and stacks has made it a lot simpler to arrange the house display app structure. Nevertheless, it is nonetheless overwhelming having to fill the uppermost rows with apps simply to put extra on the underside of the house display.

On Android, I can place my most-used apps in a number of folders and situate them on the backside of the display for simpler reachability. I like having the remainder of the display clear, with only a climate widget on high. However on my iPhone, I’ve a widget stack and some app folders like Productiveness and Purchasing for the sake of spacing.

Luckily, iOS 18 may very well be the software program model that lastly helps you to freely rearrange app icons on your house display. Sure, you’ll create clean columns, empty rows, and open areas between apps, in line with a current report from MacRumors.