10 Must-Try iOS 18 Features Revolutionizing Your iPhone Experience

10 Must-Try iOS 18 Features Revolutionizing Your iPhone Experience: Apple released the public beta update for iOS 18 on July 15th, a few months after its initial announcement at the Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC). This update offers users a sneak peek into what the final version of iOS 18 will bring. The nearly 7GB update introduces a range of new features and customization options that significantly alter the appearance and functionality of both the home screen and lock screen, as well as introduce various under-the-hood improvements.

iOS 18 beta eligible iPhones

• 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)

How to Download and Install iOS 18 Beta

To experience iOS 18 beta, navigate to the iPhone’s Settings, select General, and then tap Software Update. Here, you’ll find the Beta Updates option, where you can choose the iOS 18 Public Beta. Once selected, the update file, approximately 7GB in size, will begin downloading.

Before proceeding, ensure your iPhone has enough storage space and that your data is backed up, either to the cloud or an external drive, to prevent any potential data loss during installation.

Top Features of iOS 18 Beta

For ease of exploration, I’ve categorized the new features into sections, highlighting the key changes and their potential impact on the user experience.

Accessibility Enhancements

Eye Tracking: One of the most groundbreaking features in iOS 18 is Eye Tracking, which allows users to interact with their iPhone hands-free by using just their eyes. The front camera and on-device machine learning track iris movements, enabling users to move a cursor on the screen simply by looking in a particular direction. While this feature is still in its early stages and exhibits some lag, it represents a significant step towards making technology more accessible, particularly for individuals with disabilities.

Among the 10 must-try iOS 18 features revolutionizing your iPhone experience is Music Haptics. Music lovers will appreciate this feature, which syncs haptic feedback with the beats of supported songs in the Apple Music app. This tactile experience adds a new dimension to music enjoyment, enhancing the overall experience. Currently, this feature is exclusive to Apple Music but is expected to expand to other music apps like Spotify in the future. You can activate Music Haptics by navigating to the Accessibility section in Settings and toggling it on.

Another innovative addition to the list of 10 must-try iOS 18 features revolutionizing your iPhone experience is Vocal Shortcuts. This feature allows users to open apps and perform actions using voice commands. By setting up custom catchphrases in the Accessibility section, you can easily launch applications or features. For instance, saying “Open CC” will bring up the Control Center. This feature is particularly useful when your hands are occupied or messy.

Home & Lock Screen Customizations

Home Screen Customization: iOS users have long awaited greater flexibility in home screen customization, and iOS 18 delivers. You can now rearrange icons, change their appearance with modes like Dark, Automatic, Light, and Tinted, and even enlarge icons for better visibility. Additionally, you can give your wallpaper a diffused look by adjusting the opacity. To access these options, simply tap and hold the home screen, then select the Edit option in the top left corner. These changes offer a refreshing new look, making the home screen feel more personalized and dynamic.

This update marks a significant shift in how users interact with their iPhones, offering greater accessibility, customization, and an overall enhanced user experience. As iOS 18 continues to evolve, it’s clear that Apple is focused on making its devices more intuitive and user-friendly.

Essential Preparation Before Installing iOS 18 Beta

Before diving into the iOS 18 beta, make sure your iPhone has sufficient storage space. It’s equally crucial to back up your data, either to the cloud or an external drive, to safeguard against potential data loss during installation.

Highlighted Features of iOS 18 Beta

To make it easier to explore, the new features in iOS 18 are grouped into sections below.

Accessibility Features

Eye Tracking: iOS 18 introduces a groundbreaking Eye Tracking feature, enabling users to control their iPhones hands-free by simply looking at the screen. The front camera, combined with on-device machine learning, tracks the movement of your eyes. During setup, you’ll go through a training module where you follow a colored dot moving across the screen, allowing the iPhone to capture your eye movements. Once calibrated, a cursor will move in the direction of your gaze. This innovation is especially beneficial for users with disabilities, although there is some lag in the cursor’s response, which Apple will likely address in future updates.

Music Haptics: Another exciting addition is Music Haptics, a feature that synchronizes haptic feedback with the beats of supported songs on Apple Music. Your iPhone will vibrate in rhythm with the music, adding a tactile layer to your listening experience. While this feature is currently exclusive to Apple Music, it’s expected to be available on other music apps like Spotify soon. To enable Music Haptics, navigate to the Accessibility section in Settings and toggle it on.

Vocal Shortcuts: iOS 18 also introduces Vocal Shortcuts, allowing users to open apps and perform actions using simple voice commands. By activating Vocal Shortcuts in the Accessibility settings, you can assign specific catchphrases to launch different apps or features. For instance, saying “Open CC” will bring up the Control Center. This feature is particularly handy when your hands are busy, like when you’re enjoying a snack.

Home & Lock Screen Customizations

Home Screen: Customization options for the home screen have been long-awaited on iOS, and iOS 18 finally delivers. You can now rearrange icons anywhere on the screen and even alter their appearance with modes such as Dark, Automatic, Light, and Tinted. Additionally, you can choose to display larger icons for better visibility and give your wallpaper a diffused look by adjusting its opacity. To access these customization options, simply tap and hold on the home screen and select the Edit option in the top left corner. These new features bring a refreshing change, allowing for a more personalized and dynamic home screen experience.

The new features in iOS 18, especially in accessibility and customization, represent a significant shift in how users can interact with their devices, making the iPhone more versatile and user-friendly.

Lock Screen Enhancements in iOS 18

In iOS 18, the lock screen has received significant upgrades, allowing you to access various controls and features without unlocking your iPhone. This builds on the existing ability to quickly open the camera or torch, but now extends to other controls and even apps.

To customize these quick access options, tap and hold on the home screen and select the Customize option at the bottom. You’ll then see two windows, one of which allows you to personalize the lock screen. Here, you can switch between different styles, modify or resize widgets, and change the controls on the bottom left or right to any feature or app you prefer. This means you can even launch applications directly from the lock screen, offering a more seamless and efficient user experience.

Lock & Hide Apps in iOS 18

Locking and hiding apps on your iPhone has become much simpler with iOS 18. To lock an app, tap and hold on the app icon until a drop-down menu appears, then select the Require Face ID option. This will secure the app with Face ID, keeping it safe from prying eyes. If you don’t see this option, ensure that Face ID is activated on your device before trying again.

Similarly, hiding an app is just as easy. Tap and hold on the app, select Require Face ID, and then choose Hide and Require Face ID from the menu. This action will move the app to a hidden folder on your phone. To access the Hidden Folder, swipe through your home screen pages until you reach the last one, then scroll down to the bottom of the page where you’ll find the folder. Tapping on it will reveal all your hidden apps. This feature is a fantastic addition for enhancing user privacy, eliminating the need for third-party apps to hide specific apps.

Control Panel Customizations

The Control Panel in iOS 18 also gets a fresh update, allowing for more extensive customization. You can now add more controls, rearrange them, and even resize them to suit your preferences. The new design divides the Control Panel into four distinct sections: Main Page, Music Page, Home Controls, and Connectivity Page. This organized layout provides a cleaner, more user-friendly interface, making it easier to access and manage the controls you use most often.

Control Panel Enhancements

In iOS 18, the Control Panel is more dynamic and customizable than ever. Icons for each section—Main Page, Music Page, Home Controls, and Connectivity Page—are conveniently located on the right side of the screen. You can scroll up to switch between these sections easily. Plus, you have the freedom to add more controls to each page, allowing for a tailored Control Panel that suits your needs. This flexibility makes the user experience more intuitive and the Control Panel much less static and boring.

Other Essential Updates

New Messaging App Features

The Messaging app in iOS 18 introduces several new features that enhance communication. iMessage users can now react to messages with emojis, similar to WhatsApp. These reactions can be used with texts, images, GIFs, and even documents. Additionally, you can animate your text messages. To do this, tap and hold the text until it’s highlighted, then select the Text Effects option. You’ll find a variety of animation options, along with the ability to italicize, underline, or strike through text, giving you more ways to express yourself.

Another useful feature is the ability to schedule messages. To schedule a message, type it out, tap the + icon on the left, scroll up, and select Send Later. You can then choose the exact time for the message to be delivered, making it easier to manage your communications.

Photos App Upgrade

The Photos app has received a significant upgrade in iOS 18, offering more customization and a cleaner, more organized layout. The app now features a carousel mode where you can easily switch between sections like Featured Photos, Memories, and Favorites. The new Search function is particularly powerful, allowing you to find images based on specific categories, dates, or even weather conditions. For example, you can search for photos containing a car or taken on a sunny day.

The app also leverages a refined machine learning algorithm to categorize images under various headings like Illustrations, Duplicates, and Handwriting. This is a game-changer for users who have struggled to locate specific images in their galleries. You can even tag people in photos, making it easy to pull up all images of a specific person with a simple search.

New Calculator Features

The Calculator app in iOS 18 introduces some exciting new features, including auto-calculation. By selecting the Maths Notes option from the bottom left calculator icon, you can write out complex equations by hand. After adding an equal sign (=), the app will automatically calculate the answer. This feature, first showcased on the iPad Pro during WWDC, is now available on the iPhone as well. Additionally, the Calculator app now includes a scientific calculator for solving more advanced equations, making it a versatile tool for everyday use.

Auto Transcription in Notes

The Notes app in iOS 18 now includes a powerful transcription feature for audio recordings. You can record audio directly within the app, and it will automatically transcribe the content, making it easy to create meeting summaries or notes. This feature is a boon for professionals and students alike, streamlining the process of capturing and organizing important information. Additionally, the app allows you to add a creative touch to your notes by using different colors to highlight text, inserting tables, adding attachments, and even using bullet points. These enhancements make your notes not only more functional but also more visually appealing and professional.

Passwords App

iOS 18 introduces a dedicated Passwords app, which serves as a centralized hub for managing your app and Wi-Fi passwords. This app also includes a security feature that alerts you if any of your passwords have been compromised online and suggests immediate actions to secure your accounts. By offering this built-in solution, Apple aims to reduce reliance on third-party password managers, providing users with a secure and convenient way to manage their passwords.

Flashlight Upgrade

The flashlight on the iPhone has received a significant upgrade in iOS 18, offering more control over intensity and beam throw. You can now tap and hold the torch icon to adjust the light’s intensity by dragging up or down. Additionally, you can control the beam throw by dragging from left to right, allowing you to customize the flashlight’s performance based on your environment. This feature, which has been available in some third-party apps on Android, is now built directly into iOS, making it easier for users to tailor their flashlight settings to their needs. What do you think of this new feature?

Action Button and Animations

The iPhone 15 Pro series introduces enhanced customization for the Action button, offering even more options for launching functions, including apps. To explore these new features, simply navigate to the Action Button settings, where you can tailor the button’s functionality to suit your preferences.

In addition to these customizations, iOS 18 adds subtle animations when you interact with the volume or power buttons. When you press either of these buttons, you’ll notice a slight bulge in the bezel, adding a tactile and visually engaging response to your interactions. This small but thoughtful touch enhances the overall user experience, making the device feel more responsive and dynamic.

Final Thoughts on iOS 18 Beta

It seems Apple is experimenting with these subtle tweaks, adding a bit of fun to the user experience. As we look forward to the official launch of iOS 18 in September, it’s likely that some of these beta features will be refined and upgraded based on feedback from customers and developers.

Have you had a chance to explore these new features on your iPhone? Share your thoughts in the comments section—are these the game-changing updates you’ve been waiting for, or just minor enhancements? We’d love to hear your experience!

Credits: India Today