Apple is poised to release iOS 18.4, the latest update to its mobile operating system, with a rollout expected in early April 2025. This update promises a suite of enhancements aimed at improving user experience, expanding language support, and introducing new functionalities.
Expected Release Date
Apple’s press release regarding iOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2 provides insights into the anticipated release of iOS 18.4. The document mentions that additional languages for Apple Intelligence will be introduced in a software update scheduled for April 2025. Given that iOS 18.3 is expected to precede this, it is reasonable to infer that the April update refers to iOS 18.4. Therefore, users can anticipate the release of iOS 18.4 in early April 2025, barring any unforeseen delays.
Key Features and Enhancements
iOS 18.4 is set to introduce several notable features and improvements:
1. Expanded Language Support for Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence will extend its language capabilities to include Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. This expansion aims to make Apple’s AI features more accessible to a global audience.
2. Priority Notifications
A new feature called Priority Notifications will be introduced, allowing Apple Intelligence to automatically identify and highlight the most important notifications on the Lock Screen. Users can enable this option in the Settings app under Notifications → Prioritize Notifications. This feature requires an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model.
3. Apple News+ Food Section
iOS 18.4 will add a dedicated Food section to the Apple News app. This section will offer Apple News+ subscribers access to tens of thousands of recipes, along with articles on restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more. Content will be sourced from renowned food publishers such as Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats. The Food section will feature curated stories, a comprehensive Recipe Catalog with daily additions, a cook mode with step-by-step instructions, and options to save favorite recipes for offline access.
4. Ambient Music in Control Center
A new Ambient Music feature will be added to the Control Center, providing quick access to curated music collections across four categories: Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Users can add each category separately to the Control Center and play a random selection of sounds or music from the chosen category. While specific tracks cannot be selected directly from the Control Center, users can manage playback through the Dynamic Island or the Now Playing widget.
5. New Emoji Additions
Continuing its tradition, Apple will introduce new emoji characters in iOS 18.4. The Unicode Consortium has previewed additions such as a face with bags under eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, and splatter. These new emoji will provide users with more expressive tools for digital communication.
6. Default App Selection in the EU
In compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, iOS 18.4 will allow users in the European Union to set default navigation and translation apps. This means users can choose alternatives like Google Maps or Waze as their default navigation app and Google Translate or Microsoft Translator as their default translation app. These options will be accessible in the new “Default Apps” section within the Settings app.
7. Robot Vacuum Support in Home App
The Home app will gain support for robot vacuum cleaners, enabling users to control functions such as power, cleaning mode, vacuuming, mopping, and charging status. These devices can also be integrated into automations and scenes and respond to Siri commands, allowing users to incorporate them into cleaning routines or initiate spot cleaning via voice commands.
8. Vision Pro App Integration
For users with a Vision Pro headset, iOS 18.4 will introduce a Vision Pro app on the iPhone. This app will assist in discovering and downloading content for the Vision Pro, featuring sections for Immersive Video, 3D movies, and more. Users can download apps directly to the Vision Pro without using the headset and access a dedicated “My Vision Pro” section with a user guide and usage tips. Additionally, guest setup can be managed on a linked iPhone or iPad, allowing owners to control guest access and guide them through Vision Pro experiences.
9. Mail Categorization on iPadOS
iPadOS 18.4 will bring an updated Mail app with categorization features. Incoming emails will be organized into sections, with important emails displayed in the Primary category and others sorted into sections highlighting product orders, newsletters, deals, and social notifications. This categorization aims to streamline email management and improve user productivity.
10. Privacy Indication Dots
The small dots indicating camera or microphone usage will be relocated to the left side of the menu bar and will feature a black background, making them more noticeable and enhancing user awareness of active recordings.
11. Siri Voice Options
Two new Australian voices will be added for Siri, providing users with more choices for voice customization.
12. Genmoji Enhancements
The Genmoji icon in the Emoji keyboard will now display “Genmoji” instead of a multi-colored smiley face, making it clearer where users can create Genmoji characters.
13. Photos App Improvements
The Photos app will introduce new filtering options, allowing users to sort their library by images shared by others or those not included in an album. This feature will help users better organize and access their photos. Additionally, the Recently Deleted section will offer one-tap options to delete or recover all photos, and a new setting will allow users to show or hide the Recently Viewed and Recently Shared albums from the Utilities list.
14. Type to Siri Enhancements
When using Type to Siri, the keyboard will collapse after Siri provides an answer. To type another request, users will need to tap on the Siri bar to bring the keyboard back up. A new toggle will allow activation of Type to Siri with the side button, which typically triggers Siri to listen for voice commands.
15. Back Tap Notifications
For users utilizing the Back Tap accessibility feature, a notification will now appear when a double-tap or triple-tap action is performed, providing immediate feedback on the action executed.
16. App Store Review Summaries
Apple will provide summaries of an app’s customer reviews, offering users a quicker overview of public opinions and experiences with the app.
Conclusion
iOS 18.4 is set to deliver a comprehensive array of features and improvements, enhancing the overall user experience. From expanded language support and smarter notifications to new entertainment options and privacy enhancements, this update reflects Apple’s commitment to innovation and user satisfaction. Users can look forward to exploring these new features upon the update’s release in early April 2025.
