The iPhone has arguably been the pinnacle of what our mind conjures when we hear the word “smartphone” since it first hit shelves almost two decades ago back in 2007, but , in recent years, Android phones emerged as the place to be for those who want to tinker with new and creative features on the cutting-edge before they become more widely accepted, and before a lot of those ideas make the eventual jump to Apple’s walled garden.
To that end, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system — iOS 18 — is the point where a whole lot of those features and customization options that have been around elsewhere finally make the jump to the iPhone.
There have been a few major overhauls for Apple’s mobile operating systems over the years, but for the most part the company aims to (wisely) be more iterative than revolutionary. It’s what makes the iPhone so easy to use in the first place. If you have picked one up over the past 15 or so years, the basics are still pretty much the same. But some of that changes with iOS 18, which adds some new features and customization options that can finally give that iPhone home screen a different vibe. Put simply, this is the biggest iPhone software update we’ve seen in years.
There are dozens and dozens of changes and tweaks under the hood of iOS 18, but lets drill down into five of the coolest and most useful features in Apple’s latest software overhaul.
Personalize Your Home Screen
One feature iPhone users have wanted for years has finally arrived: more personalization options for the home screen. The biggest change is the ability to organize apps however you want, no grid order layout required. That essentially means you can organize your apps however you like, i.e. frame them around a photo layout, or leave some empty space on a page.
The app icons themselves also receive an upgrade with color customization options, from a “dark mode” to fully customizable color hue changes so you can match your apps to your background however you like. If you’ve ever wanted a cleaner homepage layout without all those app names in the way, that’s also available now with a “bigger icons” option that enlarges the icons slightly and eliminates the app names.
Widgets are also still a thing, of course, and this update also brings with it some new widgets and customization options for size/information etc. for many of your favorite apps.
iMessage and Android Finally Coexist
No, iOS 18 doesn’t get rid of those annoying green bubbles that still represent all your Android friends in text messages (the blue bubbles remain exclusive to iMessage users, of course), but texting with Android users gets a whole lot more useful in iOS 18. This new update provides support for the popular RCS messaging standard, which means you can see those “typing in progress” updates and read receipts when texting with Android users. You can finally send photos and videos to Android users with higher quality and resolution as well. Is it long overdue? Sure. But that doesn’t make it any less useful that it’s finally here.
iOS 18 also adds a few more updates to iMessage, including the ability to tap respond to messages with virtually any emoji (as opposed to the handful of options previously available), the ability to schedule an iMessage to send later and satellite support so you can send messages even when there’s no wi-fi or cellular service available. So long as you have a clear view of the sky, your iPhone can now use a satellite to send a message (a useful feature if you travel through remote areas, go hiking, etc.).
Lock (and Hide) Entire Apps
Most everyone likely already has a password on their phone, combined with Face ID, to keep their iPhone secure. But now you can extend those extra security measures to specific apps. For example, if you don’t want anyone to be able to access a specific app (I.e. a dating app, work-related software, private messaging, your favorite game, etc.) you can set it to be protected by a Face ID security step. That means if anyone attempts to open the app, they’ll be prompted to provide a Face ID scan before the app opens.
If you want to go a step further and completely hide an app, you can do that, too. Simply long press on the app and select “Hide App,” which will shift it to the hidden apps folder and it will no longer be visible on the home screen. There are plenty of reasons (shady and otherwise) to take advantage of that feature but, if nothing else, it will provide additional security from anyone potentially snooping on your phone.
The Photos App Finally Gets An Upgrade
The phone in our pocket has become our de facto camera for everything, but Apple’s Photos app hasn’t exactly kept pace. That changes big time in iOS 18. The Photos app has received a major upgrade, to the point it can look a bit daunting the first time you fire it up post update. In addition to the usual chronological feed we’re used to seeing, the Photos app now makes a concerted effort to group photos into various collections for easier exploration. Plus, if you don’t like the way the app has things sorted, you can reorganize things yourself to make it more useful for however you’re looking to keep your pics sorted.
The Calculator is Crazy Useful Now
It’s not a sexy update, sure, but the basic old calculator app got a major upgrade in iOS 18. You can now do tons of unit conversions right in the app, including weight, size, currency and more. Basically, the calculator is now equipped to just solve these calculations for you directly. There’s also, finally, a direct back button in case you hit the wrong number and need to just delete one number and not the entire equation. The calculator has also been integrated with the Notes app, allowing you to literally just type in math equations and solve them right in the Notes app. For students, that one could be a true game changer.
Trent Moore is a recovering print journalist, and freelance editor and writer with bylines at lots of places. He likes to find the sweet spot where pop culture crosses over with everything else. Follow him at @trentlmoore on Twitter.