The MacRumors Show: New iOS 18 Rumors Ahead of WWDC 2024

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss some of the latest rumors about iOS 18, including deeper Home Screen customization, AI-generated emojis, and more.


With ‌iOS 18‌, Siri is expected to undergo a substantial overhaul with improved natural language processing, enabling more conversational interactions and proactive intelligence. The assistant will apparently understand and perform more complex tasks within apps. These tasks range from moving notes between folders and deleting emails to summarizing articles and recent notifications.

Spotlight search will also allegedly see similar enhancements, integrating deeper with system-wide information to provide more intelligent and relevant results. In Messages, AI will suggest responses and create custom emojis based on message content. The Photos app will incorporate AI-powered retouching tools and Apple Music will offer auto-generated playlists and smoother song transitions.

‌iOS 18‌ is also expected to introduce a more customizable ‌Home Screen‌. Users will have the freedom to place app icons anywhere on the grid and change app icon colors.

Safari is expected to gain an Intelligent Search option, summarizing key topics and phrases on web pages, and a new Web Eraser tool, which allows users to remove unwanted portions of websites. The Calculator app will be redesigned to include recent calculations and better unit conversion tools, becoming a universal app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Apple Maps will introduce custom routes and topographic maps, enhancing navigation and outdoor activities.

Accessibility is another focus area for ‌iOS 18‌ with new features like Eye Tracking, which uses the front-facing camera to navigate the interface, and Vehicle Motion Cues, designed to reduce motion sickness. Music Haptics will provide tactile feedback in sync with music, and Vocal Shortcuts will enable users to assign custom phrases for ‌Siri‌ to execute complex tasks.

The adoption of the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard should improve messaging between iPhones and Android devices with support for higher resolution photos, audio messages, typing indicators, read receipts, and improved group chat functionality.

‌iOS 18‌ is expected to be compatible with all iPhones that support iOS 17, including models as old as the ‌iPhone‌ XR and ‌iPhone‌ XS. However, iPadOS 18 may drop support for older models such as the first-generation 10.5-inch iPad Pro and the second-generation 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips:

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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about Apple's new iPad Air and ‌iPad Pro‌ models, the latest rumors about an all new iPhone 17 "Slim" model, and the newly announced Sonos Ace over-ear headphones.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Luke Miani, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

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Top Rated Comments

Bigkool2inSC Avatar
12 months ago
Can we please stop assuming that iPhone 15 pro or higher is needed for the iOS 18 AI features..
I believe all the features will work with 14 Pro or higher.
It has a very powerful chip that is still good for 2-3 more years.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TJ82 Avatar
12 months ago
They can’t even get Siri to control a HomePod right let alone let it handle a bunch of apps.

Let’s be realistic. Apple isn’t good at this stuff. Personal AI assistants integrated into apps will only be good when OpenAI or Google make it good, and license that tech to Apple, Samsung etc.

Siri will be a generally irritating stopgap until then to keep investors appeased on AI progress. At best you can expect some occasionally useful voice command of an app but honestly, who goes around barking commands at inanimate objects all day.

And if you have to type it, then you may as well have just opened the app and clicked.

The amount of control we will have to cede to tech firms for personal assistants to be useful and personalised will be too much for most people but if we don’t, then AI can’t really do things the way we’d want.

Nice to see we’re at least moving towards something potentially interesting though.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)