iOS 18 is here with RCS and homepage customization features

Apple is rolling out iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, which will introduce a bunch of new features to the iPhone and iPad. One of the biggest changes with today’s launch is the addition of RCS messaging, which should help improve communication with Android users.

Some other messaging upgrades in iOS 18 include new text effects and formatting options in iMessage and the ability to schedule messages to send later. iPhone users will also be able to send messages via satellite.

Additionally, iOS 18 includes new homepage customization options to rearrange, resize, and change the colors of app icons and widgets. There’s a big design overhaul coming to the Photos app, too, along with a revamped iPhone Control Center and the launch of Apple’s new password management app.

As for what’s new with iPadOS 18, the update will finally bring a calculator app to the iPad after over a decade without one. You can download the update to your iPhone or iPad by heading to Settings, selecting General > Software Update, and then following the steps to install iOS 18.

If you’ve been wanting to try out the new AI features coming to Apple’s devices, you’re going to have to wait for iOS 18.1. Apple is rolling out new tools to help you rewrite and summarize text, generate images with Image Playground, and interact with a more conversational Siri as part of the iOS 18.1 public beta in October.