Tech Desk 
Jan 26, 2025
iOS 18.3 is rumoured to be widely rolled out next week, which means the first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones is expected to be just around the corner.
Earlier, Apple implied that iOS 18.4 would be released in April, as that is when it promised to make Apple Intelligence available in even more languages.
Gadinsider has compiled an outline of what to expect from iOS 18.4.
Apple Intelligence for Siri
Siri is likely to get several advancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS 18.4. These upgrades will include on-screen awareness, deeper per-app controls, an understanding of the user's context, and more.
Notably, Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro model or any iPhone 16 model.
Apple Intelligence in more languages
Previously, Apple announced that a software update coming in April will make Apple Intelligence available in more languages, and that likely refers to iOS 18.4. Additional languages will include English (India), English (Singapore), Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
However, the company said only some of these languages will be added in April, with the rest to follow throughout 2025.
Apple Intelligence is available in localised English in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Enhanced news summaries
Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news apps are temporarily unavailable on iOS 18.3 after the feature inaccurately summarised some news stories.
Apple promised that enhancements to notification summaries are coming in a future software update, so users will able to see if that happens in iOS 18.4.
New emoji
iOS 15.4, iOS 16.4, and iOS 17.4 all introduced new emojis, so there is a good chance that the trend will continue with iOS 18.4.
Last year, the Unicode Consortium previewed the new emoji that should be coming with iOS 18.4, with new options including a face with bags under the eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, splatter, and more.
Default map and Translation apps in EU
In an October 2024 document related to the EU's Digital Markets Act, Apple revealed that it will let iPhone and iPad users in the EU set default navigation and translation apps starting in "spring 2025." That timing likely aligns with iOS 18.4.
