At WWDC 2024, Apple introduced a new operating system for the iPhone iOS 18. Even after the presentation of the new OS version, it was possible to say that this is one of the most significant and large-scale updates that have been released for Apple smartphones in recent years. There are a huge number of additional settings that relate to the interface, so now any user can customize the iPhone desktop to suit their needs and needs. But looking at beautiful slides is not interesting at all. That’s why we launched the first beta version of iOS 18 and now we are ready to tell you not only about all the changes in the new firmware, but also show them.

Content

1. Iphone App Icons
2. How to make widgets on iPhone
3. Apps on the lock screen
4. Control point on iPhone
5. Hide the app on your iPhone
6. Where are the settings on your iPhone
7. Saved passwords on your smartphone
8. New calculator on iPhone
9. What’s new in iOS 18

App icons on iPhone

In fact, just by installing the update and unlocking your iPhone, you won’t see any difference from iOS 17. You don’t need a new lock screen, like in iOS 16, which was just impossible to get past, or any designations on the iPhone desktop. That’s why you should know exactly what you need to do to find all the new features of iOS 18. It seems to me that the main change in the new system was the ability to customize the Home screens.

Just hold your finger on an empty area of the display and click on the “Edit” button in the upper-left corner. After that, just click on “Configure” in the drop-down menu. Here you will be able to customize the colors of iPhone app icons. You can choose from the usual light mode, night mode, where the icons will turn dark, and custom colors that are adjusted by sliders.

Separately, it should be noted that night mode still works only with standard programs, and you need to wait until the developers add the appropriate icons to their programs. But when you select a color, all the icons are reconfigured in general, and it looks very cool. You can even choose a palette for the wallpaper. By the way, the size of the icons is now changed here. Don’t lose this setting if you are using it. Well, it’s a sin not to say that you can now place applications on the iPhone desktop in any order.

How to make widgets on iPhone

Separate changes also affected the iPhone desktop widgets. Previously, to add them, you had to go to a separate menu, and in iOS 18, Apple added another very convenient way to install them on the screen. To do this, simply hold your finger on the icon of an application that supports widgets, and in the drop-down context menu, you will transform it into a widget of the desired size in one touch.

You can also zoom in or out of an already added widget in the same way. No complicated settings and unnecessary menus, which is good news. By the way, if you repaint the icons in the selected color, the widgets adjust to the selected palette. After that, the Home screen on the iPhone looks as organic as possible.

Apps on the lock screen

The lock screen has also been updated. Finally, the iPhone has implemented a feature that we’ve been waiting for since the release of the iPhone X. Annoying buttons on the lockscreen of the smartphone that started the flashlight and camera can now either be replaced by launching any application or something else, or you can turn it off altogether, and then there will be no additional circles on the display. It looks very unusual, but let’s be honest-it’s great. I made just such a setup, and I launch the camera with a simple swipe from right to left, and the flashlight — from the Control Point.

Control point on iPhone

By the way, about the Control Point. Apple did what was asked of it for a very long time. In iOS 18, you can customize it to suit your needs. Previously, it had elements that were not editable, but now you can change everything and even create several pages in the Control Point on the iPhone. For example, if you need an expanded menu with quick switches for various interfaces, then you can place it immediately on the first screen and turn on and off what you need in one touch.

For example, I placed a square at the very bottom, specifically under my thumb, with Wi-Fi and airplane mode quickly turned off. Although I have a smartphone with a small screen, but you can not reach anywhere else. And in the Control Center there is now a button to turn off the smartphone. You no longer have to go deep into the settings for this simple action.

Hide the app on iPhone

And in iOS 18, Apple added a feature that has been on Android for a billion years, but for some unknown reason could not get to the iPhone in previous years. 
Now, without any crutches, you can 
block almost any app with Face ID and hide it from the iPhone screen.

Why practically? Because for some reason I don’t understand, you can’t block the Clock app that stores your alarm clocks. I don’t understand what this is related to, but it looks as strange as possible. I would like to be able to block programs without any restrictions.

Where are the settings on your iPhone?

The most interesting thing is that the changes in iOS 18 also affected the iPhone settings. First, some menu items have moved and been slightly renamed. But do not be alarmed, the search for toggle switches will not be difficult. Secondly, the menu itself has become much shorter due to the fact that the parameters of third-party applications are collected in a separate section. Each installed program will no longer extend your iPhone settings. I liked this approach.

Now they strongly resemble the system settings from macOS. Short, concise, and convenient. We also upgraded the search in this section. Not once after the update did I run into the fact that I couldn’t find the parameters I was interested in, which, of course, is very gratifying. In addition, each section of the iPhone settings now has an explanation of what you can do in it and what settings to change.

Saved passwords on your smartphone

A new “Passwords” app has been added to iOS 18. You no longer need to go into the settings to remember a certain password or write down a new username. Everything is now stored in a separate app. And please note that this also applies to passwords from Wi-Fi networks and access keys created by you.

You can only log in to the app using biometrics or a passcode from the iPhone lock screen. In general, I liked this organization of passwords much better. Access to them has become much faster, and now you don’t need to go to different points to see the Wi-Fi password or various codes.

New calculator for iPhone

Very cool in iOS 18, Apple has upgraded the calculator. However, finding it in the first beta version was a problem. The problem is that the company did not translate the name, and if you, like me, open it through the search, then you need to enter it in English. In the next beta versions, we’ll see if this is a bug or a feature. Now the engineering calculator on iPhone is available not only in horizontal orientation, but also in vertical orientation.

In addition, you can switch to special math notes, draw examples by hand, and the system will calculate them itself. In addition, the calculator on the iPhone now has a built-in converter. You can convert currency, angle, area, data, energy, force, fuel, and a large number of other parameters from one unit to another.

What’s new in iOS 18

A large number of very small, but no less significant innovations have also appeared in iOS 18. Here is a list of the most interesting ones :

• You can now highlight text in different colors in your notes;
• The Photos app has received a major redesign and requires a separate configuration to make it look more comfortable;
• Events in the calendar are marked with lines instead of dots;
• Some iPhones now have eye control;
• In Universal access, a function that allows you to fight motion sickness has become available;
• Custom voice commands for launching individual functions;
• On the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, you can adjust the light scattering in the flashlight;
• In the dialer, to dial a number from the history, you need to click on the special icon with the handset. If you tap on the number as before, the contact card opens to save or interact with it;
• New design of the iCloud section;
• Game mode is activated automatically after you turn on any game;
• iMessage has added effects for text, as well as the ability to make it bold, slanted, underlined, or strikethrough.

For almost a week of testing iOS 18, I can say that the system is really full of new features. Everyone will be able to make the iPhone as individual and convenient as possible for themselves. Fortunately, there are really a lot of customization settings now. How do you like iOS 18? What do you think about the new iPhone operating system?