Apple reveals big new features coming to iPhone

Apple detailed a host of new features for the upcoming update to its smartphone operating system for iPhones — iOS 18 — at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.

Among the biggest changes are support for the RCS messaging protocol and emergency satellite communication in Messages, app icon customisation, control centre sections, and a big Photos app revamp.

The adoption of RCS comes after years of pressure from the likes of Google and regulators to embrace the protocol for improved security and more feature-rich capabilities when iPhone users chat with Android users.

While this has not been as big of an issue in South Africa due to the widespread use of third-party chat apps like WhatsApp, it became a sore point in the US, where the iPhone and its Messages app are dominant.

Messages lacks support for end-to-end encryption for texts sent between iPhones and Android devices.

When an iPhone user chats with another iPhone user on Messages, they see each others’ messages in blue bubbles, used to show that both users have full support for the app’s features and end-to-end encryption.

Apple has been accused of using green bubbles — shown to iPhone users when an Android user responds to their messages — to pressure young people into buying its smartphones.

When chatting with Android users on Messages, the SMS or MMS protocols are used, which are highly limited in features and security.

RCS is widely regarded as the best successor for SMS, with more support for more feature-rich messaging and end-to-end encryption.

However, Apple’s senior vice president for software Craig Federighi only briefly mentioned RCS support at the end of the company’s presentation on iOS updates.

Therefore, it is unclear to what extent Messages will support RCS or if Apple’s implementation will play nicely with Android phones and do away with green bubbles.

Another big new feature for Messages is the ability to communicate with other users via satellite connectivity, in areas where no cellular coverage is available. Previously, this capability was limited to SMSs.

Other changes for Messages include the ability to schedule messages to automatically send at a later time, tapback emojis and stickers, and text effects.

Apple showcases satellite communication on its Messages app at WWDC 2024.

Android-like app icon layouts

A feature that many Android users will likely have taken for granted for many years — the ability to arrange app icons around your home screen pages — will become available in iOS 18.

As it stands, iOS automatically snaps app icons together, meaning it is only possible to leave the middle and bottom parts of a page open.

With iOS 18, users will be able to arrange icons with spaces in between and put them where they want — within the limits of the basic grid layout.

That will allow users to keep objects like faces in wallpapers clear of icons.

App icon backgrounds will also be customisable with a range of colours that can be manually selected or set to match the main theme.

The iPhone control centre is also receiving a significant update. It will have different centre sections for various types of apps or features, like media playback.

Apple is also making a Control Centre API available to developers so that they can create their own custom control centre segments.

Media playback segment in the iOS 18 control centre.

True to Apple’s focus on privacy, iOS 18 will also come with several useful privacy improvements, including the ability to lock apps behind Face ID or passcodes.

Users will also be able to hide apps that they don’t want others to see in a special locked folder.

Apple said that notifications for locked and hidden apps will not show in the control centre.

In addition, there will be a privacy enhancement that the user’s friends, family, and colleagues will benefit from — the ability to select specifically which contacts’ details you want an app to be able to access.

Other significant updates to iOS apps include:

• Tap-to-cash — Pay money into other iPhone users’ Apple Wallets by tapping phones together
• Mail  — Categories that automatically sort emails. Includes Transactions, Updates, and Promotions
• Apple Maps — Topographic maps with detailed hiking trails (possibly limited to US initially)
• Game mode — Minimise background activity to sustain high frame rates in mobile games
• Photos — New layout with photo grid at top, months and years view at the bottom, automatic sections like Recent Days, People & Pets, and Trips and easier sharing, and intelligent filters for non-essential photos or screenshots

The image below summarises the updates coming to iOS 18, which will be available to general iPhone users later in 2024.

iOS 18 feature summary