Unlocking iOS 18: 5 Next-level features soon to transform compatible devices
For representation purposes only.
Apple's highly anticipated iOS 18 update, announced at WWDC 2024, is set to deliver a host of innovative features that elevate user experience, customization, and privacy. Here are five groundbreaking features that will soon be available on compatible devices.
1. Private Cloud Compute
One of the standout features of iOS 18 is Private Cloud Compute, a clever solution designed to enhance the performance of Apple Intelligence (AI). Apple Intelligence leverages both on-device and server-based AI models to manage user requests seamlessly. When the device's local capabilities fall short, Private Cloud Compute steps in, processing additional data on Apple silicon servers. Impressively, this data is transmitted securely and temporarily, ensuring that user information remains private and inaccessible to Apple. This hybrid approach promises to deliver powerful, intuitive, and private AI experiences.
2. Lock and Hide Apps
Building on the privacy innovations of the Photos app, iOS 18 introduces the ability to lock and hide any app on the home screen.
Access to concealed applications is restricted to a secure section within Settings or a discreet folder dedicated to hidden apps, both necessitating authentication via Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. This functionality proves invaluable in protecting sensitive information and averting inadvertent disclosure when sharing devices or displaying screens to others.
3. Contacts Permissions
iOS 18 offers refined control over contact sharing. Previously, users had to grant apps full access to their entire contact list or none at all. The new update allows users to select specific contacts to share with an app, mirroring the functionality of selectively sharing photos. This granular permission control enhances user privacy and ensures that only the necessary information is shared with third-party applications.
4. Dedicated Passwords App
In an effort to simplify password management, iOS 18 introduces a standalone Passwords app, moving away from the cumbersome experience of accessing Keychain within the Settings app.
This app serves as a central hub for organizing various credentials, including account passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi access codes, and two-factor authentication tokens, all securely stored within the Keychain.
Additionally, the Passwords app features alerts for common security weaknesses, such as reused or easily guessed passwords and those that have appeared in data breaches. This development makes password management more convenient and accessible across all signed-in Apple devices, including Windows via the iCloud for Windows app.
5. Accessory Setup Kit
The new Accessory Setup Kit in iOS 18 enables developers to create user-friendly methods for pairing accessories without compromising privacy. By ensuring that apps cannot access information about other devices on the user’s network, Apple claims to provides a secure and seamless pairing process.