Eagerly Anticipated iOS 18.2 Highlights: Our Top 10 Picks

The main grievance users had towards the newly launched iPhone 16 lineup was the absence of the heavily advertised feature: Apple Intelligent AI. Despite this, it became evident that the updated devices were merely vehicles for Apple to display its new AI features in terms of upgrades. The irony wasn't lost when we were informed that we had to wait a few months for these said features. However, they have now commenced their release, as demonstrated with the iOS 18.1 launch a few weeks ago. The public can now anticipate the availability of iOS 18.2 in beta, with an expected release date in December. Here are a few noteworthy features that caught our attention from the extensive list:

Artistic Image Generation

This new iOS version emphasizes generative art. With the introduction of a new app called Image Playground, users can create custom images based on text inputs. This feature is similar to online AI image generators, yet it is integrated directly into your iPhone, making it free to use. Furthermore, the Note app is now capable of supplementing memos with images using the Image Wand feature.

[Screenshot: Image from Apple YouTube]

Vehicle Motion Cues

iPhone motion cues for vehicles are set to incorporate the Dynamic Island. This feature is particularly exciting for individuals like myself who suffer from extreme motion sickness. Although motion cues were introduced in iOS 18, their integration with Dynamic Island is a new improvement. By integrating the Dynamic Island into your peripheral vision while using your phone during a car ride, motion cues will help alleviate the motion sickness symptoms, allowing for easier navigation on applications like Google Maps.

iPhone Mirroring with Hotspot

When connecting your iPhone to a Mac via hotspot with iOS 18.2, it will automatically mirror your phone, an excellent bonus feature. In the past, hotspot wasn't capable of mirroring content, a missed opportunity until now.

Voice-to-Siri

Siri's shift towards becoming multimodal is another positive development. This feature enables users to communicate with Siri naturally, using their voice, rather than relying on typing. Although Siri does not cater well to various accents, this update will be welcomed until Apple can improve on inclusion.

[Screenshot: Image from Apple YouTube]

ChatGPT-Integrated Siri

The integration of ChatGPT into Siri makes Siri not only smarter but also more versatile. User queries will now be handled by the AI assistant without the requirement for an OpenAI account. Moreover, the ChatGPT-Siri integration also provides accompanying images, making the search results even more productive.

Volume Limit

The new volume limit feature is an invaluable addition in quiet public places where users wish to avoid the inconvenience of loudly playing videos or music from their phones. In iOS 18.2, users will have the ability to set a maximum volume limit, restricting how loud their iPhone's speaker can play content. Thankfully, this limit will not apply to reminders, calls, and alarms.

Default Apps

Users will no longer have to continuously inform their iPhone about their preferred browser or other default apps with the introduction of the Default Apps section in Settings with iOS 18.2. Making these settings once will ensure that the iPhone remembers these preferences, eliminating the need for users to manually input app preferences repeatedly.

Deleting Core Apps

The EU has recently instilled in Apple the necessity to comply with universal standards, teaching it a valuable lesson. As a result, Apple is now allowing users to delete core apps such as the App Store, Safari, Messages, Camera, and Photos (for European users).

Visual Intelligence

The iPhone 16's new merger with Google Lens-like visual intelligence features will enable users to scrutinize objects and receive a description of them. To access this feature, simply press and hold the camera control button, then aim your iPhone at the desired object. With this feature, the iPhone will provide relevant reviews and opening hours for restaurants.

[Screenshot: Image from Apple YouTube]

Writing Tools

Apple's much-advertised writing tools, which were already introduced with iOS 18.1, will have additional styles and tones in the second-generation software. Currently, the features are only available in three styles, which will be expanded in future updates.

Availability

Apple has yet to announce the public release date for iOS 18.2. However, there is a confirmed rollout in December. The exciting aspect of this release is that it supports more than just U.S. English, extending coverage to English dialects in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Apple is also working on providing support for additional languages in the near future.

In the future, the integrated ChatGPT feature in Siri will allow users to communicate with Siri naturally using their voice, providing more versatile and productive search results. Besides, the upcoming tech innovation in technology, iOS 18.2, will also introduce a new feature that allows users to set a maximum volume limit for their iPhone, ensuring a quiet experience in public places. [Apple, tech, technology, future, iPhone]