iOS 18

iOS 18 introduces several new features and improvements across various aspects of the operating system. Here are some highlights:

1. Privacy Enhancements:

   • Improved transparency and control over access to local network, Bluetooth, and contacts.
   • New flow for sharing contacts, allowing users to select specific contacts to share (What’s new in privacy).
   • New contact access button for incremental contact sharing (What’s new in privacy).

2. Device Management:

   • Special exception for enrolling an MDM on a newly set up device without causing a security delay for the first 3 hours after stolen device protection is enabled (What’s new in device management).
   • Support for multiple private cellular network payloads, enabling configuration for up to five private 5G or LTE networks (What’s new in device management).

3. User Interface and Experience:

   • New tab and sidebar features in iPadOS, including a new syntax in SwiftUI for tab views (Elevate your tab and sidebar experience in iPadOS).
   • Updated tab and sidebar in UIKit, with new API to better describe app hierarchy (What’s new in UIKit).

4. Customization:

   • App icons and widgets can now appear light, dark, or with a tint, providing a consistent visual experience across the home screen (Platforms State of the Union).

5. HDR and Image Experiences:

   • New global tone mapping operator for HDR images, improving output quality and color reproduction (Use HDR for dynamic image experiences in your app).

These updates reflect Apple's ongoing commitment to enhancing user privacy, improving device management, and providing developers with powerful tools to create more dynamic and customizable user experiences. For more detailed information, you can refer to the specific sessions mentioned above.