iOS 18 likely to be Apple's biggest upgrade in years

The upcoming iOS 18 update is paving the way for a more refurbished iPhone experience. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported, the release could feature a redesigned Control Centre and new artificial intelligence- (AI) powered updates.

The Control Centre, in particular, may receive a bunch of upgrades, this includes a new Music widget along with a newer interface for HomeKit smart home controls. The settings app is also, “getting revamped with a cleaner interface, better organisation and much-improved search,” an update that could extend to MacOS users as well.

This is quite refreshing considering the few updates the Control Centre has received to date. The quick settings panel lets you access frequently used settings and home devices by sliding down from the top-right corner of the screen.

The last big refresh that comes to mind is the one in 2017 on the release of the iPhone X. Here, Apple condensed the panel from three-paged controls to quick access controls in a single view.

With Gurman not having delved in too much specificity, we’re left to speculate. One recurring complaint of iPhone users was limited audio control. This could be changed with the new update, instead of the 2x2 box design the music player currently sits in, the area could be expanded and listeners could be given customization control over Album art along with a progress bar.

Similar control could be extended to HomeKit. Currently, the panel displays six devices which are reorganized at random intervals, creating confusion. Users could be given control over where their device appears or increase the tile size to make the experience more intuitive, imitating a physical device control more accurately.

Nonetheless, nothing is certain at present, though rumour has it that a preview will be shared at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 10, followed by a beta release until its final launch this fall.