Discover iOS 18’s game-changing features like Control Center redesign, RCS messaging, and unprecedented customization options. Apple Intelligence may be delayed, but the update is already packed with innovations to personalize your iPhone experience.
iOS 18 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and transformative updates yet for Apple, but it’s being rolled out in stages, which is a departure from the company’s usual approach. While key features like RCS support and a redesigned Control Center are already here, the much-anticipated “Apple Intelligence” is still missing in action and won’t be available until sometime in 2025. This piecemeal rollout strategy is unusual for Apple, but it reflects the sheer ambition of iOS 18.
A More Customizable iPhone Experience
Even without Apple Intelligence, iOS 18 brings some exciting new features that let you customize your iPhone like never before. This level of personalization feels almost un-Apple-like, with features that would typically be found on more open systems like Android.
Control Center: A Fresh Overhaul
Control Center gets a massive redesign in iOS 18. It’s still familiar enough that you’ll feel right at home, but the changes run deep. Controls are now divided into pages, allowing you to organize your quick settings into categories that make sense to you. The connectivity and focus modes you’re used to are still there, but now you can add, remove, and resize controls to your liking.
What’s especially exciting is the potential for third-party apps to offer their own Control Center widgets, allowing for even greater customization. You can almost turn the Control Center into a mini remote control for your entire phone, reducing the need to jump between apps.
If you prefer simplicity, you can even delete extra pages. Personally, I’m looking forward to turning my Control Center into a one-stop control hub for all my frequently used features.
Finally: RCS Support
The addition of RCS (Rich Communication Services) is another major win for iOS 18. If you regularly message friends on Android, this is huge. RCS allows you to send high-quality photos, see typing indicators, and get read receipts when texting Android users. It’s an important step in improving cross-platform communication, and while it won’t entirely eliminate the blue-bubble, green-bubble divide, it will make conversations between iPhone and Android users much smoother.
No more annoying extra messages from reactions, either—tapbacks now appear as they should, not as confusing text replies. For iPhone users who text with Android friends, this is a long-overdue improvement.
App Customization: A New Level of Personalization
Apple’s always been strict about how you can arrange your homescreen, but iOS 18 blows the doors wide open. You can finally put app icons anywhere you want on the grid, no more being forced into a rigid layout. If you’re a fan of extreme customization, you can even tint your app icons to match your wallpaper. The possibilities for making your homescreen unique are greater than ever.
Admittedly, some customization options might not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s refreshing to have this level of control. Whether you want to keep things minimal or go wild, iOS 18 gives you the freedom to design your homescreen your way.
Passwords App: Security Made Easy
Another interesting feature is the new Passwords app, which simplifies password management. This app is perfect for users who find third-party password managers confusing. It syncs passwords across all your Apple devices and allows for easy sharing of individual passwords with family or household members. While it’s not a game-changer for people who already use dedicated password managers, it’s a great tool for those who want a simple, seamless way to manage their login credentials.
Voice Memo Transcriptions: A Game-Changer for Professionals
For those who rely on voice memos, iOS 18 adds real-time and post-recording transcription. This is especially useful for journalists, students, and professionals who frequently record meetings or interviews. The transcription quality is on par with Google’s Pixel Recorder, making it a welcome addition for anyone who needs to turn audio into text quickly and accurately.
The Missing Piece: Apple Intelligence
What iOS 18 is missing right now is Apple Intelligence, a collection of AI-driven features that could dramatically change how we interact with our devices. While Siri is set to become more contextually aware and capable of performing tasks based on your habits, these enhancements won’t arrive until later.
Apple Intelligence is poised to deliver a smarter Siri that can summarize emails, provide digest notifications, and even assist with writing tasks. However, these features are still in development and won’t be fully realized until sometime in 2025. For now, the updates to Siri and Apple’s AI features are incremental, leaving us with much to look forward to in future iOS updates.
A Promising Start
Even though some of iOS 18’s biggest features are yet to come, the update is already impressive. The combination of RCS support, a highly customizable Control Center, and new personalization options gives iPhone users plenty to explore. And when Apple Intelligence finally arrives, it could change the game entirely.
For now, iOS 18 is a solid step forward for Apple, offering meaningful improvements and exciting customization options while laying the groundwork for even more transformative features in the future.