iOS 18.2 launches today: Here are all the new features

Apple has confirmed that iOS 18.2 will be rolling out to iPhone users today. The update includes major new Apple Intelligence features, upgrades to iPhone 16 camera controls, a redesign of the Mail app, and more. Head below for full details on all new products iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 features.

iOS 18.2 released today

iOS 18.2 is rolling out to the public today. You can check for updates by going to the Settings app, selecting “General” and then “Software Update.” If you don’t see iOS 18.2 as an option right away, keep checking back throughout the day.

Which iPhones are getting iOS 18.2?

iOS 18.2 is available for all iPhones capable of running iOS 18.

• iPhone XR
• iPhone XS and XS Max
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 and 12 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 and 13 mini
• iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 14 and 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 15 and 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 16 and 16 Plus
• iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max
• iPhone SE (2nd generation)
• iPhone SE (3rd generation)

What’s new in iOS 18.2?

New Apple Intelligence features

A major change in iOS 18.2 is the addition of new Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, and more.

• Image Playground
  • A new app that lets you create fun, playful images in a variety of styles using concepts, descriptions, and people from your photo library
  • When adding concepts to the Playground, swipe to preview and make selections
  • Choose animation and illustration styles when creating images
  • Create images in Messages and Freeform and third-party applications
  • Images are synced to the Image Playground library on all devices via iCloud
• Genmon Temple
  • Genmoji lets you create custom emojis right from your keyboard
  • Genmoji syncs to the sticker drawer on all your devices via iCloud

• Chat GPT support
  • OpenAI’s ChatGPT can be accessed directly from Siri or writing tools
  • Compose inwriting Tools let you build content from scratch using ChatGPT
  • Siri can use ChatGPT to give you answers when relevant
  • No ChatGPT account is required, your requests will be anonymous and will not be used to train OpenAI’s models
  • Log in using ChatGPT to access your account benefits, and requests will be protected by OpenAI’s data policy
• Image Wand converts sketches and handwritten or printed notes into images in your notes
• Describing your changes in the writing tool allows you to suggest how you would like something to be rewritten, for example as a poem

Camera control updates

For iPhone 16 users, iOS 18.2 continues to improve the functions and features of camera control. Most notably, the update brings visual smarts. A long press on the camera control activates this feature. You can then point your iPhone’s camera at an object to learn more about it.

• visual intelligence Camera controls let you instantly learn about places or interact with information by simply pointing your iPhone at an object, with the option to use Google Search or ChatGPT
• Camera controls two-stage shutter When you tap the camera controls, you can lock focus and exposure in the camera
• Double click speed: Adjust the double-click speed of “Camera Control” in “Settings” > “Accessibility” > “Camera Control”. You can choose from Preset, Slow, and Slower.
• Requires screen to be on: Regardless of whether the iPhone 16 screen is open or not, just click “Camera Control” and the “Camera” application will automatically open. Adjustable in the Settings app.

Mail app upgrade in iOS 18.2

iOS 18.2 brings a major redesign to the Mail app, dividing your mail into four different categories:

• Primary: Personal and time-sensitive emails
• Transactions: Confirmations and Receipts
• Updates: News and social media notifications
• Promotions: Marketing emails and coupons

If you disagree with how the Mail app categorizes a particular email, you can manually recategorize it and the preference will be saved for future emails from that sender.

The update brings a new “summary view” that displays all emails from a specific business. You can also display notification badges only for unread messages in the “Main” category.

iOS 18.2: Photos app changes

iOS 18 gave the Photos app a dramatic redesign, and iOS 18.2 brings some changes to the new design based on user feedback. Apple says it has resolved this feedback in iOS 18.2:

• Video viewing improvements, including frame-by-frame cleanup and the ability to turn off automatic looping of video playback
• Improvements when navigating Collection views, including the ability to swipe right to return to the previous view
• Ability to clear recently viewed and recently shared album history
• In addition to pinned favorites, collection albums also appear in utility collections

Find my upgrade

iOS 18.2 brings some big changes to the Find My app. You can now share the location of your lost AirTags or other Find My items by generating a link.

This link can be shared with others to help you find your lost item. People can use the link to visit a website that shows the project’s location on an interactive map. The website automatically updates the new location with a timestamp of the last update.

Apple also announced Works with more than 15 airlines Implement a system that accepts location links to assist in locating lost luggage.

hunting trip

The iOS 18.2 release notes also tout new features in Safari, including new customization options and Live Activity

• New background image to customize your Safari start page
• Import and Export allows you to export browsing data from Safari and import browsing data from other applications into Safari
• HTTPS priority upgrades URLs to HTTPS when possible
• File download real-time activity shows the progress of the file download on the dynamic island and the main screen

iOS 18.2: Bits and pieces

In addition to these major new features and changes, iOS 18.2 also includes ton Minor update. Here’s the full breakdown:

• Voice Memos supports layered recording, allowing you to add vocals to existing song ideas without headphones – then import the two-track project directly into Logic Pro (iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max)
• you can Add permanently Return the volume slider to the iPhone’s lock screen. Go to Settings, Accessibility, Audio & Vision, then turn “Always show volume control” on or off.
• this Previously announced changes The browser selection screen for EU iPhone users is now live. The update also makes the App Store, Messages, Camera, Photos, and Safari apps deletable.
• iOS 18.2 allows users to set default apps for messaging and calling globally. This is managed through the new Defaults menu in the Settings app.
• iOS 18.2 adds a new “Type to Siri” widget to Control Center.

• A new Volume Limit option in the Settings app lets you set a maximum volume limit for audio content (such as songs, videos, and other media) played through iPhone’s built-in speakers.
• In Settings > Apps > Safari, there is a new option to import or export browsing history and website data.
• In the Podcasts app, you can now mark specific categories as favorites.
• Now you can use iPhone mirroring while using your iPhone as a Mac hotspot.
• The Fitness app has new shortcuts.
• Natural language search in Apple Music and the Apple TV app lets you describe what you’re looking for using any combination of genres, moods, actors, decades, and more
• Favorite Categories in Podcasts lets you select your favorite categories and get related show recommendations that you can easily access in your library
• Personalized search page in Podcasts highlighting the most relevant categories and a collection of Editors’ Picks tailored just for you

• News+ Puzzle Sudoku offers three difficulty levels and is available to News+ subscribers
• AirPods Pro 2 hearing test function supported in Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom
• Support for hearing aid features on AirPods Pro 2 in the United Arab Emirates
• Pre-market quotes for stocks let you track Nasdaq and NYSE tickers before the market opens

Apple also outlined two bug fixes included in iOS 18.2:

• Fixed an issue where recently taken photos would not immediately appear in the All Photos grid
• Fixed an issue where night mode photos in the camera may experience reduced quality during long exposures (iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max)

9to5Mac’s Opinion

iOS 18.1 Introducing Apple Intelligence to iPhone users Featuring useful new features like writing tools, notification snippets, a new design for Siri, and new snippets and prioritization features in the Mail app. However, iOS 18.2 builds on this foundation. It also includes Apple’s first foray into image generation technology.

Genmoji is a standout feature in iOS 18.2. It makes creating any emoji fun and easy. One of the best parts about Genmoji is how well integrated it is with your keyboard. For example, if you search for an emoji that isn’t available, you can choose to use Genmoji to instantly create an emoji based on your description.

Image Playground is another standout feature of Apple Intelligence that stands out for its deep integration with iOS. Image Playground can be used as a standalone app or integrated elsewhere, such as in messages.

Image Playground creations are not the most groundbreaking images that can be produced using artificial intelligence. However, they are easy, fun and fast to create. Image Playground can also use your photo library to create images based on your friends and family. I found this to be an interesting feature that provides a good balance between image quality and speed.

Additionally, all Image Playground and Genmoji creations are generated directly on the device, without the need for cloud processing.

In iOS 18.2, you can now access ChatGPT through Siri. I’ve found this to be a useful fallback when Siri can’t answer a question correctly. You can access ChatGPT through Siri without logging into your OpenAI account, and your conversation history will not be retained. Your IP address is also hidden.

Alternatively, you can log in to your ChatGPT account to unlock higher usage limits. If you choose to log in, your use will be subject to ChatGPT’s data usage policy. After logging into your ChatGPT account, your requests will be saved to your chat history so you can access them later.

Apple has struck a good balance by integrating ChatGPT into Siri while maintaining its privacy stance. Having ChatGPT as an option for additional world knowledge when talking to Siri is useful, but I wish Apple would bring this feature Internal sooner rather than later. I’d also like to see Apple improve Siri’s Type interface to better handle longer-form interactions with multiple messages. Currently, the interface is not very conducive to these interactions.

my friend Federico Viticci mike story has a fascinating And to get a deeper understanding of how Siri and ChatGPT work together, I highly recommend reading it.

More Apple Intelligence features are coming to iOS 18.3 and later next year, but as 2024 comes to a close, the strength of the Apple Intelligence suite is impressive. There are enough features in iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2 that I think everyone will find a way to benefit from Apple Intelligence in their life.

iOS 18.2 is a comprehensive update that goes beyond Apple Intelligence. Upgrades to the Find My ecosystem will make it easier to find your lost items. Changes to the Photos app address user feedback while maintaining what I think is an overall excellent redesign. The new categories feature in the Mail app is a bit lacking for the way I use email, but Apple has made it easy for me to return to a single inbox view.

What do you think of iOS 18.2 and the current status of Apple Intelligence? Do you use these features frequently? Let us know in the comments.

My favorite iPhone 16 accessories:

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