APPLE fans are excited for the upcoming iOS update but there are some big features that won’t be ready as they had hoped.
The tech giant has put a lot of focus on customisation for iOS 18, with the ability to freely move app icons around like never before and change the theme.
Apps like Photos and Messages are also getting a huge revamp.
Apple first showcased all its software developments at a major event in June.
And a public preview has allowed users to give it a free test run before general release, which is expected sometime in the autumn months.
However, not all of the top features Apple showed off will be ready for iOS 18.
Some won’t quite be ready for the update and will be missing until a future release, potentially iOS 18.1 or beyond.
This was made clear early on by Apple but some fans aren’t impressed, saying the company is “‘rushing to catch up” with rivals.
“All I want is for Siri to be smart enough to take multi step instructions,” one person wrote on Reddit.
“I wish Apple was half as good at software as they are at hardware,” another said.
“Presenting features in June 2024 that won’t be released until 2025 is what start-ups do. Pathetic,” a third commented.
So what features won’t appear on iOS 18 straight away?
One of the biggest announcements from Apple in June was to Siri, which will finally get a bit of an AI boost.
However, some key improvements won’t come until much later.
This includes on-screen awareness, which can understand and take action with things on your screen.
For example, if a friend texts you their new address, you can say “Add this address to their contact card”, and Siri will sort it for you.
Deeper integration and knowledge of in-app functions also won’t be available immediately.
A number of major iPhone apps are getting some nifty new tricks this year.
But Apple Mail will be missing some.
This will include a handy auto-categorisation tool for your messages.
Apple’s AI features Apple Intelligence will be available when iOS 18 lands.
However, it will only be in beta to start, so don’t expect all the AI magic to be available or work properly.
It’ll only be in US English initially too.
The iOS 18 public beta helps Apple detect and squash any bugs, but it's also great if you want to try the new update early.
This is free (and fairly simple) to download.
Just go to the Apple Beta page here, then register and enrol your iPhone.
Then you can go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the iOS Public Beta once it’s out.
But be warned: test software can be buggy, so make sure to back your device up before installing the iOS 18 public beta.
