Why Apple’s iOS 18 Might be Its ‘Biggest’ Software Update Yet

According to Mark Gurman, chief correspondent at Bloomberg, the iPhone’s latest update iOS 18 could be “one of the biggest iOS updates — if not the biggest — in the company’s history,” reports TechRadar.

Apple staff say the upcoming update will be a major shift in gear for the iPhone, and the company has set expectations high by saying it will be an “ambitious and compelling” update including “major new features and designs.” However, Gurman’s comment has led to even more anticipation and excitement around the upcoming update, which is expected to be Apple’s first big introduction of AI.

Apple has reported that it spends over $1 billion every year on AI development, and earlier this month, Gurman confirmed that several iPhone-specific AI features are in the pipeline to be showcased at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.

In the iOS 18 update, Siri, Messages, Apple Music, and Pages will reportedly be getting a big AI-focused update, with Siri getting a ChatGPT-like revamp.

AI has been a hot topic in recent times, and it will continue to be in 2024.

Competitor Samsung’s recent Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event highlighted that AI was a key driver for its Samsung Galaxy S24 model. To stay ahead of the curve, it’s not surprising that Apple may up its AI game with its upcoming updates.

This is, however, not the only reason why this update could be the biggest one in the iPhone’s history. The company has also announced that it will be incorporating Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging support into its phones this year, and it expects this feature to debut with iOS 18 further into this year.

RSC was created to upgrade messaging communication across the board for mobile services. When Apple incorporates it, the standard will significantly improve the messaging experience between iPhones and Android phones.

At the moment, functions such as receipts for read messaging, typing indicators, high-resolution videos and photos, and Wi-Fi messaging are restricted to only iPhone-to-iPhone conversations and Android-to-Android conversations. However, iOS 18 could bridge this gap, giving a better user experience across the two makes.

However, RCS won’t replace iMessage and functions that are specific to iPhones. Speaking to TechRadar last year, Apple said, “We believe the RCS Universal Profile will offer a better interoperability experience when compared to SMS or MMS.” The company added, “But this will work alongside iMessage, which will continue to be the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users.”