Apple Worldwide Developers Conference is nearing and as the date nears, more and more rumours and speculations are being heard about the upcoming iOS 18 which is expected to make a debut at the event. The latest speculation to come in the market is from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman who said that along with the slate of artificial intelligence (AI), iOS 18 will also include updates of the popular built-in apps on the iPhones. The overhauls for Photos, Mail, Notes and Fitness apps will be included in the update. Even the calculator app is expected to receive some new features and will be made available on the iPad for the first time.
iOS 18 is being hailed as one of the largest updates for iPhones in terms of software. Users can anticipate a plethora of fresh features spread across the entire operating system. One area that has garnered significant attention in recent discussions is the forthcoming enhancements to Apple Maps.
What Else Would Change In iOS 18 (Expected)
In line with earlier reports, Gurman also indicates that the iPhone's home screen will receive notable enhancements. For the first time, users will have the freedom to place icons wherever they please, without being constrained to a grid layout.
The overall appearance of the operating system is set to undergo some changes as well, although Gurman predicts that these alterations won't be as drastic as the transition seen with iOS 17. Specifically, he mentions that these design modifications will aim to render app designs more modular and user-friendly for customisation and updates.
While this is speculative, it appears that Apple is moving towards standardising its library of user interface components, which would facilitate easier updates across its suite of apps. This move would be particularly beneficial as these apps increasingly become available across various Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, tvOS, and visionOS.
It is to be noted that as of now nothing has been announced officially by Apple so it is possible that these speculations may not see the light of the reality.