Apple unveils iOS 18, adding more Home Screen customization, a Dark Mode for app icons, an updated Control Center, scheduled send for Messages, and more

iOS 18 has officially been announced. The update includes new home screen customization, improvements to dark mode, and more.

9to5Mac 2024-06-11 Chance Miller

Context & Ripple Effects

The announcement confirms an earlier report that iPhone users would gain more freedom to arrange apps with blank spaces, rows, and columns through expanded Home Screen layout control. It turns a pre-release interface change into an OS-level product direction.

Apple had previously made Dark Mode a system-wide iPhone feature in iOS 13; that earlier Dark Mode rollout provides the design baseline for iOS 18’s extension of dark styling to app icons. The new release concentrates on the surfaces users reach most often: the Home Screen, Control Center, and Messages.

First-order effects

iPhone users gain more control over Home Screen layouts, app-icon appearance, Control Center access, and when Messages are sent once iOS 18 becomes available.
Developers and brands need to check how their app icons read in the new dark treatment and in more user-defined Home Screen arrangements.

Second-order effects

More flexible layouts reduce the extent to which developers can assume a standard icon position or visual neighborhood, increasing the value of recognizable icon design and in-app re-engagement paths.
Rival mobile platforms face a higher user-experience baseline around personalization and quick settings, particularly where their interfaces remain more rigid.

Third-order effects

If Apple continues opening its core interface surfaces to controlled personalization, mobile OS competition may shift further from feature counts toward who governs the default paths to apps, controls, and communication.
The change reinforces the Home Screen and Control Center as durable platform control points: user choice can expand without transferring ownership of those entry points away from the OS maker.

The trend: Mobile operating systems are adding bounded personalization to their most-used interface layers while retaining centralized control of the underlying platform.

Discussion

@_patters Jason Patterson on threads
With this in place Apple can omit the buttons entirely and use a squeezable Charmin-steel frame on iPhone 16
@sdw Sebastiaan de With on threads
Apple was like 'yeah let's do Venmo but make it absolutely sick'
@notyourboycam Cam on x
no more “ima send it to you”....bitch tap my phone rn! [Image of Tap to Cash]
@parismartineau Paris Martineau on x
tapeacall is shaking
@ayushswrites Ayush S on x
the thing that made Apple so successful, and what Steve Jobs deeply understood, is that the masses have terrible taste and therefore must be strictly guard-railed from making their own aesthetic and design choices [image]
@rsgnl Joe Rossignol on x
Looks like iOS 18's dark tint for app icons can extend to next-generation CarPlay [image]
@r3h8t @r3h8t on x
if anyone ever sends me one of these it's an instant block [image]
@sondesix Alvin on x
I can finally keep my sussy photos and videos safe by enabling this on iOS 18. [image]
@ronamadeo Ron Amadeo on x
Is it just me or does Apple's icon theming look like a 2011 Android Rom from XDA? [image]
@lauriewired @lauriewired on x
the new iOS themes look like a random Cydia tweak you installed on your jailbroken iPhone when you were 12 only to remove it 2 weeks later [image]
@aleksliving Aleks on x
actually can't believe that apple is shipping tinted icons... not a vibe [image]
@concept_central Shea on x
I'm sorry but these icons just do not look good [image]
@imsh4yy Shayan on x
Is it just me, or has Apple lost its aesthetics plot? - Tinted home screen icons. - The ugly Siri icon. - The ‘I just learned CSS’ Siri halo gradient. [image]
@shantinix @shantinix on x
This year I led the engineering effort to build recording, transcription and summarization in Notes, and worked with the Phone/FaceTime teams to extend that to calls. It's been a labor of love for me and the many others involved. Can't wait to see what people do with these tools!…
@ikeadrift Benjamin on x
[image]
@sentry @sentry on x
It's giving me Microsoft [image]
@nikitabier Nikita Bier on x
Real talk: probably fine. A lot of work was expended on ranking contacts and cleaning out businesses & irrelevant contacts. So it may even be better to know who the closest connections are.
@ceauxrt @ceauxrt on x
[image]
@stevemoser Steve Moser on x
Sorry folks, looks like my posting of iOS diffs has come to an end as Apple has changed the OS image (IPSW) format to Apple Encrypted Archive. 🪦 Any info on opening these up would be appreciated. (h/t @zollotech for the image and @aaronp613 for the info on the change). [image]
@iupdate Sam Kohl on x
iOS 18 is goated [image]
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
Up until this moment, everyone's homescreens looked the same. Now they've given you the ability to ruin your homescreens... and you absolutely will. Welcome 😅
@gartenberg Michael Gartenberg on x
How it started “iOS 18 is just amazing” How's it going “iOS 18 without the AI stuff is just moving apps around which gets boring real fast”
@sdw Sebastiaan de With on x
Apple was like 'yeah let's do Venmo but make it absolutely sick' [video]
@rjeytech @rjeytech on x
Ok iOS 18 is overrated asf without Apple Intelligence... Quickly got bored of this. [image]
@sdw Sebastiaan de With on x
This is so Apple. Ridiculous. I love it.
@sekachov Alexey on x
okay, jokes aside. this is bad. this is so bad. this is the android level of bad. the capital B type of bad. it's like good, but really, really bad. [image]
@strnmn Moritz Sternemann on x
🔦 Welcome to the new flashlight experience on iPhone! It feels incredible to see my intern project in people's hands in the #iOS18 developer beta. Super thankful for the endless feedback and support from everyone involved! Quick demo of the UI and beam width control here: [image]
@growing_daniel Daniel on x
insane like I can't believe a company with the design legacy of Apple would release this, yes, sure
@gregsarafian Greg Sarafian on x
design details in iOS 18 - display bezels expand to indicate when a button is being pressed [video]
@zachsilberberg Zach Silberberg on x
before i die im going to schedule a bunch of texts to people i hate so my imessage ghost can haunt them for years
@halidecamera @halidecamera on x
Even better than we thought, Halide and Kino might even work while your iPhone is locked. thank you Apple! [image]
@uwukko @uwukko on x
welcome back windows phone
@nikitabier Nikita Bier on x
["Control how you share contacts with apps"] It's the end of the world.
@ostynhyss @ostynhyss on x
the action button animation for the flashlight in iOS 18 is absurd [video]
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
I know they just added RCS, but if I send a Genmoji to a friend with an Android phone it's gonna show up as a jpg, isn't it ☠️
@benbajarin Ben Bajarin on x
Genmoji's are going to be a hit. This one thing may cause people to upgrade sooner lol. In all seriousness that is the mainstreaming of Gen AI right there.
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
How do you feel about this Android fans? Apple basically brought all the big and most requested customization features to iPhone
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
You can now lock apps and it requires Face ID, TouchID or password and you won't see notifications or data from those apps
@benbajarin Ben Bajarin on x
Deeper customization comes to iOS. Here comes the “Android has had these features for years crowd.”
@alex @alex on x
they brought word art to ios ahahah i love it
@richlightshed @richlightshed on x
Interesting that @snap mentioned as app to replace the iphone camera button on your iOS home screen at #wwdc Could image lots of teens and young adults making this shift $SNAP [image]
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
@MKBHD Um ok
@sdw Sebastiaan de With on x
Custom icon colors. I never thought I'd see the day. [image]
@film_girl Christina Warren on x
Ok this new color shit is hot. I cannot wait to make my iPhone Home Screen rose gold #wwdc24 #wwdc
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
YES! In iOS 18 you can move app icons anywhere you want on homescreen. No more strict grid! And you can change color of app icons. Deeper control Center customization, too. [image]
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
The crowd cheers as they demonstrate the NEW ability to put icons anywhere you want on your home screen 😅 [image]
@munster_gene Gene Munster on x
iOS18: • Customized screens. This is a more flexible approach to how the consumer interacts with the iPhone, which is noteworthy because historically Apple has limited this customization to keep the experience simple. My take: iPhone owners will love this Android approach to
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
Some new iOS 18 Features - The ability to put icons anywhere on the homescreen grid - Theme engine to add a single tint color to all icons and widgets - Redesigned control center with multiple pages and third party app support - You can finally change the flashlight and camera
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
Next up: “iOS 18 is a big release that has more ways to customize your iPhone” .... ok tell me more
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
App developers can build control center controls too Can't wait for one for my Tesla frunk and A/C
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
Oh that new UI for control center looks great, multiple groups of controls with cards for media, home, and more. Looks super useful here
@durvidimel David ImeI on x
RC YES [image]
@sdw Sebastiaan de With on x
This is wild. [image]
@minimaxir Max Woolf on x
tap to cash tap to cash TAP TO CASH
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
Ok Craig finally said it. RCS Messaging support. A nice little afterthought 😅
@alex @alex on x
brosef i dont care about my windows vista-ass ios widgets
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
Select and place icons anywhere, what everyone's been asking for dark mode app icons, and you can even change the background color and tint. Similar to Material You!
@eric_seufert Eric Seufert on x
Tap to cash addresses a core Venmo use case.
@mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x
Can't wait to make the Hot Dog Stand theme for iOS. #WWDC24
@durvidimel David ImeI on x
Like 3 claps when Craig announced arranging apps where you want
@durvidimel David ImeI on x
I think every celebrity that has ever celebritied was in that Apple TV+ ad
@mishaalrahman Mishaal Rahman on x
First look at RCS in the Apple Messages app! Sadly, you'll still be seen as a green bubble. [image]
@durvidimel David ImeI on x
Apple beefing out the Messages app with features third-parties have had for years feels like them getting ready to actually compete on the messaging front. It's nice to see anti-trust pressure actually doing something for once.
@richontech Rich DeMuro on x
iOS 18 will bring RCS support to the iPhone. This means that photos and videos exchanged with Android devices will finally look high quality and not like a 240p video from a flip cam! [image]
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
Apple is doing RCS Universal Profile support It's still up to carriers to build the backend to support it. They aren't doing Google's hacky middle man method, which is unfortunate but makes sense.
@mishaalrahman Mishaal Rahman on x
Ahead of WWDC today, I found out what version of the RCS Universal Profile Apple will implement in the iOS Messages app. It's also heavily implied that Apple will support RBM, but not confirmed. Hopefully they share more details at WWDC! https://www.androidauthority.com/ ...
@hayatohuseman Hayato Huseman on x
Really excited for iOS 18. Lots of nice quality-of-life changes and Apple finally adding RCS support Ngl I'm just happy to finally get scheduling in iMessage and a cleaner Photos app
@thisistechtoday M. Brandon Lee on x
In case you missed it, iMessage now has RCS support. It was mentioned for one or two seconds before they moved on. It's also the smallest bubble on this page. 🤣 #WWDC [image]
@chrisfralic Chris Fralic on x
Apple said <very briefly> it will support RCS messaging which everyone wants and allows better texting with Android devices. BIG NEWS. In 2022 at CODE conference an audience member tells Tim Cook how his Mom has a substandard texting experience on Android. “Buy her an iPhone”
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
This is the section where they could've totally mentioned that the iPhone is finally getting RCS support. But they chose not to.
@popbase @popbase on x
Apple announces RCS messaging support is coming on iOS 18, seemingly still with a green bubble. [image]
@ijustine @ijustine on x
RCS messaging support 👀
r/technews r on reddit
Apple is bringing RCS to the iPhone in iOS 18 | It's happening, y'all.
@mishaalrahman Mishaal Rahman on x
Though call recording is yet another feature that many Android devices have had for years, iOS 18 seems to allow it in the U.S., unlike the Google Phone app on Android devices. Although the Google Phone app already notifies call participants that they're being recorded, it still…
@taylorlorenz @taylorlorenz on x
Game changer!
@ursulaperano Ursula Perano on x
GOODBYE OTTER AI AND YOUR DUMB SUMMARIES
r/privacy r on reddit
iOS 18 will let you record calls — and tells everyone for their privacy
@rmondello Ricky Mondello on x
Ah, yes, Passwords dot app. :)
@juanbuis Juan on x
i can't believe apple killed 8+ apps today 🤯 first off, RIP @1password → passwords app syncs across iphone, ipad, mac, vision pro, and windows [image]
@aaronp613 Aaron on x
On macOS 15, the Passwords app will prompt you to install the iCloud Passwords extension if you are using Chrome
@digitaldetox_9 Apuroop Achanta on x
@theapplehub And they said you can also access it from Windows is just crazy 😂
@raywongy Ray Wong on x
New Passwords app just killed 1Password and LastPass... even works for Windows via iCloud site #wwdc [image]
@supersaf Safwan AhmedMia on x
Passwords App on macOS Sequoia. All those Passwords manager apps going out of business 😬 #WWDC24 #AppleEvent [image]
@snazzylabs @snazzylabs on x
If Apple brought the Passwords app to both Windows and Android, I'd ditch 1Password in a heartbeat—alas, they have neglected Android.
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
And here's that Passwords app. Coming to iOS, iPadOS and MacOS. Very few details but, yeah, a standalone app for your passwords. No more digging through Settings. [image]
@bzamayo Benjamin Mayo on threads
Apple finally has a non SOS feature that they can use to sell a subscription for satellite features
@snazzylabs @snazzylabs on x
Messaging via Satellite is a big-key gamechanger for anyone that spends time off-grid. Super cool.
@ricburton Ric Burton on x
Messages via Satellite will save lives 🛰️
@0xashesonchain Ash Arora on x
As a girl, it is a mini freakout moment when you don't have wifi, network and are on low battery. Text your live location by using messages via SATELLITE, for free [video]
@vadimyuryev Vadim Yuryev on x
Yess!!!! SOS via satellite is finally useful! This is the best iOS 18 feature, by far! #wwdc24 [image]

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