Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is an annual event focused on the latest developments for app developers working in the Apple ecosystem around the world. Of course, this also involves the company’s smartphone operating system (currently iOS 18).
Improved app appearance and control center personalization
The home screen has more than just wallpapers, apps, and widgets for customization. iOS now lets users move apps to the side or bottom of the screen (wherever they want, really) without forcing them to be arranged in order. The new Dark Mode changes the background of app icons to a darker shade of gray, and also enables a consistent color tone for app and widget icons, as requested by iPhone users.
More control panels have been added to the Control Center, which can be accessed by swiping up on the Control Center drop-down menu. Users can also jump to the selected panel by swiping down from the top-right panel. You can now also customize the layout of Control Center, moving shortcuts like Flashlight and Camera around as needed.
App developers can also access new Control APIs to add their app’s features to Control Center. Finally, you can link Action Buttons (currently only available on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max) to Control Center features.
Lock or hide apps:
Users can lock or hide apps to require Face ID unlock on their iPhone when they hand their phone over to someone else to share.
Hidden apps are moved to a folder and disappear from the Home screen. Additionally, users can control which contacts are digitally visible in the apps they choose (for example, to prevent your boss from seeing that you’re online in a gaming app).
iMessage upgrades:
iMessage now also allows emoji replies with any emoji and supports text formatting (bold, italics, strikethrough, underline). Text Effects adds 1990s-style animations to iMessage text.
iMessage now also supports satellite connections, allowing users to send text messages to loved ones even when traveling to remote locations. Apple said these messages are also end-to-end encrypted. iMessage support for RCS and the ability to queue replies to send later were not explicitly mentioned in the keynote, but were seen in the iOS 18 overview slides.
Mail Upgrade:
The Mail app now categorizes messages by Primary, Transactional, Update, and Promotional. Primary includes time-sensitive or personal emails, while Transactional includes digital receipts. Updates are for social media notifications, and Promotional is for brand marketing emails.
Maps Upgrade:
Apple announced that Maps will offer more detailed topographical maps to bring it closer to the maps on the Apple Watch. Users also receive step-by-step audio guidance and built-in hike planning tools.
Peer-to-Peer Transfers with Apple Wallet:
Apple Wallet has a new feature called “Tap To Cash” that allows users to make peer-to-peer transfers through Apple Cash by tapping iPhones together. Users don’t need to exchange personal contact information.
Journal App Upgrade:
Journal now lets you search past entries. It also offers a gamified tracking feature that monitors your journal “streak” (number of consecutive days of journaling).
Game Mode, Seriously
Game Mode is now available on iPhone too. Background activity has been minimized to maintain frame rates while gaming, and there are “improved connectivity” to AirPods audio and wireless game controllers. AirPods improvements reduce audio latency while gaming.
Improved Photos app:
The Photos app, the iPhone’s equivalent of the Gallery, has been improved to show your entire library in a single view, with yearly and monthly management.
Filters now allow users to filter out specific groups of images, such as: Screenshots of the entire grid.
Within your entire photo library are collections, where iOS organizes your photos by day, trip, or core memory. Users can freely reorder their collections to get the Snaps and Highlights they want to see first.
Swipe right in the Photos app to reveal a new Carousel mode that shows your favorite and featured photos. Carousel mode is also customizable, allowing users to add categories of their choice.
