Apple recently announced its much-awaited iOS 18 update with new customisation options and a lot of focus on AI. However, many features weren’t announced during the keynote. We have been exploring iOS 18 through its developer beta on our iPhone 15 Plus, and here are the top 11 hidden features that Apple didn’t reveal during its keynote.
New Settings App
This is not an entirely new settings app, but the current one has received a significant revamp. It now shows all the installed apps in a dedicated menu, making it easier to manage apps.
Redesigned Home Screen Can Hide App Titles
Apple has focused a lot on customisation this year with the iOS 18, and the key area is the home screen. It now allows users to place icons anywhere on the screen instead of the decided grid, change the colour of icons, and a lot more. However, one feature that caught our attention was the ability to increase the size of the app icons. This, in turn, hides the app titles, delivering a cleaner aesthetic.
New Button Animations
iOS 18 adds a touch of flair with new animations when pressing the volume and lock buttons. With this, you will see a slightly waved animation at the bezels, which will expand a bit while pressing the volume up or down key; while this is technically not a new feature, small tweaks like this add a flair to everyday actions.
Convert Apps to Widgets
iOS 18 allows users to seamlessly convert apps into widgets right from the home screen. Need quick access to news updates or weather? Just transform the app into a handy widget!
Resizable Widgets
Yes, this has been available on Android devices for a long time and has finally made its way to iPhones. No, we are not talking about the placement of app icons but the ability to resize widgets. Apple now allows users to change the size of a particular widget just by long-pressing it.
Share Wi-Fi Passwords with QR Codes
The tech giant has made sharing Wi-Fi passwords easier than ever. iOS 18 allows users to generate a QR code that others can scan to join the network, eliminating the need to manually enter long and complicated passwords.
Power Button in Control Centre
Gone are the days when a new iPhone user had to Google to find the ‘Power Button’. For added convenience, a power button is part of the Control Centre. This allows users to power off their devices without using the physical button.
T9 Dialer
The T9 dialer on iOS 18 allows users to type a name using the number pad, which suggests matching contacts. This feature was common on old keypad phones and has been a staple on Android phones for years. To use it, go to the Phone app, select Keypad, and start typing the letters corresponding to someone’s name on the Keypad. The iPhone will automatically filter and suggest possible matches from the address book.
Additionally, you no longer need to type the entire phone number for a saved contact to appear in the dialer. The app displays contact names as soon as you start entering the number. This feature, which has been available on Android for a long time, enhances the dialling experience.
Resizable Control Centre Toggles
While Apple did show during the presentation the ability to customise the control centre toggles, the tech giant missed one ability during the keynote: the ability to resize the control centre toggles. Now, since there are a lot of customisation options for the control centre, it becomes pretty important to manage the size of the toggles.
Currency Conversion in Calculator
With iOS 18, Apple eliminates the need for a currency converter app or Googling everything related to different currencies. The tech giant has updated its Calculator app, which can now convert currency in the app itself.
Battery Charging Limit
Many users had previously complained about the fixed 80% battery charging limit, which was earlier enabled when the phone heated up while charging. However, with the latest iOS 18 update, users can set this limit accordingly. This means users can set it to 85 or 90 or whatever they think is the best number to preserve battery health.
Calling Icon in Call History
In the Call History, a calling icon is next to each contact’s name. This feature makes redialing or returning calls easier with a single tap.
Conclusion
So, these are some of the iOS 18 features worth mentioning. While some are pretty basic and have been on the Android side for a long time, these feel like a good addition to day-to-day usage. For example, you can now directly convert an app into a widget, and the calculator app has an integrated currency converter.
If you’re wondering whether your iPhone will receive the latest update, check out the list of all the devices that will get iOS 18 soon.
