iOS 18.3: What to Expect in the Next iPhone Update

The iOS 18.3 update is arriving soon, likely on Monday, January 27, for users with compatible iPhones. As Apple has started distributing the Release Candidate version to developers and beta testers, many are curious about what this new update will bring.

While iOS 18.3 may not introduce as many new features as its predecessors, iOS 18.1 and 18.2, it still includes several noteworthy enhancements that users will find interesting. Here are the main updates to look forward to.

The Biggest New Feature

One of the most significant updates in iOS 18.3 is the improvement to Notification Summaries. This feature, which debuted with iOS 18, aims to streamline how users manage incoming messages, news headlines, and notifications. Unfortunately, the initial versions faced criticism for not being very effective.

In this latest update, Apple has made efforts to enhance notification management to make alerts more relevant and less disruptive. Users can also disable notification summaries for specific applications directly from the lock screen. Early reports from those testing the release candidate indicate that these new notification features function much better, which will likely please many iPhone users.

Other New Features

Beyond the improved Notification Summaries, iOS 18.3 includes at least three other exciting features. First, there is a new option to create personalized Genmojis directly from the emoji menu. By introducing a simple “+” button, Apple has reduced the steps necessary to access this feature, which is likely to lead to its quicker adoption.

Moreover, a new privacy feature in mobile Safari has been added. When users crop screenshots to save them as PDFs, their iPhone will now warn them if any content that has been cropped out may still be visible in other applications. This alert helps users decide whether sharing the cropped PDF is appropriate.

In terms of the Calculator app, users will be pleased to see the reintroduction of a feature that had been removed in prior iOS versions. This function allows users to reapply the last calculation by tapping the equals button multiple times, making calculations quicker and more efficient.

Additionally, there is a subtle update to the camera interface on the iPhone 16 Pro. The options previously labeled as “AE/AF Lock” and “Clean Preview” have been changed to “Lock Focus and Exposure,” which may improve user understanding.

The iOS 18.3 update will also include various bug fixes carried over from earlier versions and improvements to battery performance, although the full effects of these changes may take time to become evident.

If you own a supported iPhone, you can look forward to downloading iOS 18.3 next week. Keep in mind that some features, particularly those powered by Apple Intelligence, will be exclusive to the iPhone 16 series and the iPhone 15 Pro models.

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