iOS 18 is out now, unlocking a torrent of new features, brand-new apps, and customisation options for your iPhone.
Each year, Apple rolls out its biggest new features for iPhone in a single blockbuster software update, typically launched worldwide in September. iOS 18 is the latest iteration of the mobile operating system. While it was originally planned to include Apple Intelligence features, the Californian company has now confirmed these Artificial Intelligence (AI) tricks won't be available in the UK until December.
With all of those changes under the bonnet, iPhone owners are likely to see an impact on battery life — at least for the first few days.
As with almost every major iOS release in the autumn, thousands of iPhone owners will experience temporary battery life issues following the update. This is a common occurrence and typically resolves itself within a few days. So, what's going on?
Updating to iOS18 can’t wait for my iPhone 14 Pro Max to have an hour long battery life now 😍
— Cece ✨🖤 (@CantReadMyJudas) September 16, 2024
There are several simple explanations for the initial battery drain after a major iOS update, like the move to iOS 18.
First off, your iPhone has to undergo a reindexing process, sorting and categorising data for Spotlight search and other apps. This happens in the background and can take up to 48 hours. iOS 18 brings a completely redesigned Photos app, with new sorting options and categorisation, so the operating system will need to analyse your photos, the identified faces and location data to sort everything correctly.
All of this is happening in the background, so don't be surprised if your iPhone runs a little hotter — and loses battery a little quicker, in the days following the upgrade to iOS 18.
Similarly, iOS 18 was announced during Apple's annual developer conference back in June, so the teams behind some of the most successful apps and games could plan to support the new features. That process has been taking place over the summer months, with many apps now rolling-out updates to support the new functionality built into iOS 18.
If you have automatic updates enabled, your iPhone will be downloading and installing updates to dozens of iOS apps, leading to increased background activity. With the new customisation options coming to iOS 18, which allow you to change the colour and tint of every app icon on your iPhone, developers will need to release updates with new assets.
And like the operating system itself, some of these iOS apps will need to reindex.
In other words, there's going to be a lot going on behind-the-scenes on your smartphone in the coming hours.
And finally, you'll probably be using your iPhone more than ever before. Yes, smartphone owners tend to interact more with their devices, exploring new features and customising settings, which naturally consumes more power.
Following complaints about iOS 14 causing terrible battery life, Apple Support acknowledged these processes as the reason, stating on Twitter in response to a disgruntled iPhone owner: "Background activity is usually needed when going to a new iOS for about 48 hrs, including apps downloading updates."
Apple Support no longer operates a social media account on Twitter, now rebranded to X following its acquisition by Elon Musk.
Given these factors, it's advisable to wait at least a week after installing iOS 18 before assessing your iPhone's battery performance. During this period, allow your iPhone to complete its background processes, index all of your saved data (this will take longer if you have an iPhone with more built-in storage and more photos, apps, contacts, and other data), and then settle into a more normal usage pattern.
If your battery life is still terrible this time next week, it could be a genuine issue with the iOS 18 update, a bug that cropped-up during the installation process, or a fault with the hardware. Either way, it could be a good time to plan a visit to your local Apple Store to ask an expert.
Apple has introduced a swathe of customisation options for the Home Screen and Control Center, allowing iPhone owners to create more personalised layouts and access their favourite controls more easily. For the first time, Home Screen customisation in iOS 18 will let you place app icons and widgets anywhere on-screen, framing the wallpaper or creating unique layouts for each page.
iPhone owners with iOS 18 can also adjust how app icons and widgets are presented, with new light, dark, or coloured tint options.
iOS 18 introduces more customisation than ever before, with iPhone owners able to reposition the app icons anywhere on the homscreen, adjust the tint to match the wallpaper, or switch to a new Dark Mode to remove white backgrounds from all applications
APPLE PRESS OFFICEControl Center has been redesigned for greater flexibility. Users can now organise groups of controls, including favourites, media playback, Home controls, and connectivity options. A new controls gallery features options from third-party apps — so you can unlock your car with a tap of a single, circular button inside the new Control Center.
Another first for the iPhone — you'll be able to change or remove the two shortcuts on the Lock Screen.
iOS 18 also includes a major redesign of the Photos app, enhancing the way you'll organise and relive snapshots. On-device intelligence will automatically organises your photos and videos into new collections such as Recent Days, People & Pets, and Trips. Apple says this'll allows you to spend less time searching and more time enjoying your memories.
The tabs running along the bottom of the Photos app are gone in favour of new one-stop-shop approach. iPhone owners can personalise the design of the redesigned app by pinning favourite collections for faster access.
Messages in iOS 18 introduces new formatting options allow for bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough text, mirroring the rich text editing that's already available in the likes of WhatsApp. Users can now add text effects and use emoji and sticker Tapbacks for more expressive reactions.
You can also compose iMessages and schedule them to send at a later date or time.
The Phone app now includes call recording and transcription features, making it easier to review important details later. However, Apple emphasises that call participants are notified before recording begins, addressing potential privacy concerns.
