iOS 18 will not be like recent iPhone software updates, a source familiar with Apple's plans for next year's big release said. Of late we've been getting relatively uneventful updates, featuring this year's iOS 17 release. Sure, there were some significant changes in that update, but iOS 17 can hardly be called a major overhaul.

According to insiders familiar with the company's plans for the next phone update cycle, the approach Apple is taking with iOS 18 is not; no less an authority than Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has called the iOS 18 update "more than usual. He calls it "critical. That's because the iPhone 16 hardware update may not be as noteworthy as the one Apple introduced with this year's iPhone 15 models. The entry-level model gets an upgraded main camera, while the iPhone 15 Pro model gets a new titanium design and a more powerful chipset.

"Apple is betting (on iOS 18) to sell people on the new (iPhone) model," Garman wrote in a recent column.

Apparently, a key way to do that is through AI, which promises to play a starring role in some of the features planned for iOS 18. Apple is therefore in a position to answer to Google, which is making AI-driven features a centerpiece of the experience on its Pixel phones, and Samsung, which is eyeing AI features in its soon-to-be-released Galaxy S24.

Will Apple be able to make its own mark with the features planned for iOS 18? We won't know until the first iOS 18 preview is released in mid-2024 at the earliest. But here is what we know so far about iOS 18 and its planned features.

Apple has not released a timeline for iOS updates, but given Apple's predictable track record regarding iPhone software update schedules, we have a pretty good idea of what we can expect from the launch of iOS 18.

Whatever the past track record, the first we will hear about iOS 18 will be at the Worldwide Developers Conference in 2024, when Apple will release the software along with similar updates to the iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac software. No date has been set for WWDC 2024, but Apple's developer events are typically held in early June.

The iOS 18 developer beta will be released at WWDC 2024, and a public beta will likely be released a few weeks later. In the past, the iOS beta program has run throughout the summer with frequent bug fixes and new feature updates. Then, just before fall begins, the full version of iOS 18 will be available for download as soon as the iPhone 16 hits store shelves. Typically, that takes place around mid-September.

In early November, reports surfaced that Apple was pausing development of iOS 18 to remove bugs that appeared during the first milestone release of the internal version of iOS 18. However, that pause was expected to last only a week and would not affect Apple's normal iOS update release schedule.

There has been no official announcement as to which current iPhones will be able to run iOS 18 and which will see the end of support. With iOS 17 this year, Apple discontinued support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus. This is in line with Apple's practice of providing around five years of software and security support for its phones.

If Apple sticks to this five-year window, models released in 2019 will be on the chopping block for iOS 18 support. As of next fall, the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max will reach that five-year mark, meaning they will most likely be cut off from future iOS updates.

However, we won't know which models will definitely be supported until Apple makes an announcement. That usually happens during the iOS preview during WWDC.

It is premature to talk about specific features that will be included on the iPhone in the iOS update. But a general theme has emerged in the initial reports on Apple's iOS 18 plans, and it all centers around artificial intelligence, which will play a central role in the update.

Over the past year, we have seen many tech companies announce AI-powered products, from OpenAI's ChatGPT to Google's Bard chatbot to the Tensor G3-powered Pixel 8 flagship. For the most part, Apple has stayed on the sidelines, but that will apparently change within the next year, especially when it comes to the software on its phones.

The Information reports that Apple in particular is reportedly investing heavily in developing conversational AI. The idea is that iPhone users will be able to automate tasks involving multiple steps using simple voice commands. Think of it as a smart version of Siri, the digital assistant built into cell phones.

In addition to this speculation, Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu expects Apple to launch its own AI chatbot in late 2024, citing the company's plans to build AI servers to handle the anticipated workload The late 2024 timeline coincides with the expected release dates of iPhone 16 and iOS 18.

The iPhone 16 in particular could benefit from Apple's AI efforts. Leaker Revegnus declared to the social network formerly known as Twitter that Apple intends to use the Large Language Module (LLM) to revamp Siri. For the current iPhone, that means many AI functions will be cloud-based. But the iPhone 16 should have the processing power to perform those AI functions on the device itself.

Much of this will likely be driven by the A18 family of chips planned for the 2024 iPhone lineup. all iPhone 16 models are expected to run on some kind of A18 system-on-chip, with more powerful silicon expected in the iPhone 16 Pro model. The more powerful silicon is expected to be installed in the iPhone 16 Pro model. Whichever model, there should be enough processing power under the hood to handle Apple's developing AI capabilities, which will help with speed as well as privacy.

You may have noticed a lack of specifics on the topic of these AI-driven features in iOS18. We hope that more details will be revealed in the coming days until WWDC 2024, when we will also receive information on more orthodox updates to existing apps.

Although no details have been revealed at this time, iOS 18 seems to be a very important update. We are eagerly awaiting more details about the update between now and mid-2024, especially how Apple intends to expand the AI-driven capabilities of the iPhone.