Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that iOS 18 will "overhaul" many of Apple's built-in apps, including Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness.
Gurman did not reveal any specific new features planned for these apps. It was previously rumored that the Notes app will gain support for displaying more math equations, and a built-in option to record voice memos, but this is the first time we have heard about updates planned for the Mail, Photos, and Fitness apps.
Gurman also corroborated our exclusive MacRumors report last week about Apple finally planning a Calculator app for iPadOS 18.
A recap of iOS 18 rumors:
- Smarter Siri: iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri, Spotlight, Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Health, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and more. These features are expected to be powered by Apple's on-device large language model (LLM), but Apple has reportedly also discussed partnerships with companies like Google, OpenAI, and Baidu.
- More Customizable Home Screen: One of the design changes rumored for iOS 18 is a more customizable Home Screen, including the ability to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid. This change will allow for blank spaces, rows, and columns between app icons.
- Improved Texting With Android Users: Apple announced that it will support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting "later" in 2024, so it will likely be an iOS 18 feature. Compared to SMS, RCS support will improve the texting experience between iOS and Android devices by allowing for higher-resolution photos and videos, audio messages, typing indicators, read receipts, Wi-Fi messaging, and more.
- Calculator Revamp: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 are expected to feature a revamped Calculator app with several new features, including a sidebar that lists recent calculations, an improved interface for converting units, integration with the Notes app, and more. Yes, this means that Apple will finally be making its Calculator app available on the iPad.
- Math in Notes App: With iOS 18, the Notes app is expected to gain support for displaying mathematical notation, allowing users to include more types of algebraic equations and formulas in notes.
- Custom Routes in Apple Maps: At least two new Apple Maps features are expected on iOS 18, including custom routes and topographic maps. Custom routes would allow users to choose specific roads to travel on while navigating, while topographic maps include details such as trails, contour lines, elevation, and points of interest for hiking and other outdoor uses. Apple already introduced topographic maps on the Apple Watch with watchOS 10.
- Safari Browsing Assistant: Another new generative AI feature potentially coming with iOS 18 is a browsing assistant in Safari, but no specific details are known yet. There are already multiple iPhone web browsers with AI tools, such as Microsoft Edge and its GPT-4-powered Copilot, and Arc Search, which can summarize web pages to provide concise information.
- AirPods Pro as Hearing Aid: iOS 18 will reportedly include a so-called "hearing aid mode" for AirPods Pro, but it is unclear how it would differ from Apple's existing Conversation Boost feature that launched in 2021.
- Next-Generation CarPlay: Apple's website says the first vehicles with next-generation CarPlay will arrive in 2024, so the platform might debut alongside iOS 18 later this year. However, it is possible that next-generation CarPlay will also be compatible with some iOS 17 versions.
- Freeform Scenes: iOS 18 is rumored to add a new "Scenes" option to Apple's drawing app Freeform. This feature would allow users to select specific sections or "scenes" on the canvas for easier navigation.
For additional rumors and expectations, read our comprehensive iOS 18 roundup, which we routinely update with the latest information.
Apple will announce iOS 18 during its WWDC keynote on June 10, and the update should be widely released in September.
