Apple is preparing iOS 18.4: Release date and what's new for iPhone owners
Apple will soon release iOS 18.4 with new features (photo: Getty Images)
Apple's last major update, iOS 18.3, was released in late January. Although we are still waiting for the first beta version of iOS 18.4, Apple has already outlined a narrow timeframe for the release of the final version, reports 9to5Mac.
When will iOS 18.4 be released
Apple usually does not disclose software release dates in advance, but iOS 18.4 is a rare exception.
Back in October, when the company first introduced Apple Intelligence, it was announced that the April update would add support for new languages for AI functions.
Based on the previous update schedules and information from Mark Gurman, it became clear that iOS 18.4 would be the April update.
Now Apple has clarified the timing even more.
According to updates on the company's official website, iOS 18.4 is scheduled to launch in "early April" (according to MacRumors).
"Apple Intelligence is available in beta... Additional features and support for new languages will be available in early April," the official iOS 18 page says.
The phrase "early" leaves Apple with some flexibility, but it probably means a mid-month release.
The most likely date seems to be the week starting April 7, but it is also possible that the release will take place on Monday, April 14, which can still be considered "early April."
In any case, the wait for iOS 18.4 is not long.
Expected new features in iOS 18.4
For some time now, Mark Gurman has been reporting that iOS 18.4 will bring significant improvements to Siri. In particular, Apple is preparing three key Apple Intelligence updates for the voice assistant:
New actions in apps
Siri will be able to perform hundreds of new actions in Apple apps without having to open them. A similar feature will be available in third-party apps that support App Intents.
Knowledge of personal context
Siri will work like a real assistant, taking into account your messages, calendar events, and other personal data to help you more intelligently.
Screen content analysis
Siri will be able to recognize what you have open on the screen and execute commands related to the current content.
However, despite the fact that Gurman had previously confidently stated that these features would be coming to iOS 18.4, he recently expressed doubts about their inclusion.
Last week, he wrote that Apple is considering postponing or partially limiting the Siri update to iOS 18.5, which could be released as early as May.
Apple employees testing the new Siri have found that these features are still unstable. And there is less and less time to finalize them.
Thus, it is not yet clear which Siri improvements will be included in iOS 18.4. It is possible that some of the features will appear in this update and the rest - in iOS 18.5.
In addition to changes in Siri, iOS 18.4 is expected to bring other improvements, including a priority notification feature, a new style for the Image Playground app, and additional AI options.
