iOS 18.4: Enhanced Siri, New Languages, and More Expected

iOS 18.4: What to Expect from Apple's Next Major Update

Apple is gearing up for the release of iOS 18.4, the next significant update to its mobile operating system. Following the recent rollout of iOS 18.3, which brought improvements to Notification Summaries, Safari, and the Calculator app, the focus is now shifting to what iOS 18.4 will offer. While the beta version is not yet available, early insights suggest a strong emphasis on enhancing Siri and Apple Intelligence.

A Smarter Siri on the Horizon

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg anticipates that iOS 18.4 will primarily concentrate on a revamped Siri, deeply integrated with Apple Intelligence. This update aims to make Siri more aware of user preferences, past interactions, and on-device information to provide more personalized and contextually relevant responses. Key improvements expected include:

Personalized Interactions: Siri will learn user preferences, such as favorite contacts or sports teams, and recognize frequently used apps.
Screen Context Awareness: Siri will be able to view the content on the user's screen, enabling it to provide more informed answers.
Enhanced App Integration: Siri will gain deeper capabilities to interact with apps, allowing users to perform actions like sending messages, creating reminders, or editing photos via voice commands without manually opening the apps.
Upgraded App Intents: This will allow for more precise voice control over the operating system.

Expanded Language Support for Apple Intelligence

In addition to Siri's enhancements, iOS 18.4 is expected to broaden the language support for Apple Intelligence. The update is likely to introduce compatibility with several new languages, including:

Chinese
English (India)
English (Singapore)
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Spanish
Vietnamese

This expansion aims to make Apple's AI features accessible to a wider global audience.

New Emojis and Other Features

Following Apple's tradition, iOS 18.4 is also anticipated to introduce new emojis, aligning with the Unicode Consortium's latest approved set for 2025. These may include emojis such as a fingerprint, a face with bags under the eyes, and a harp.

Beyond these specific features, the update is expected to include general bug fixes, performance enhancements for improved stability and speed, and crucial security patches to protect user data.

Device Compatibility

Most modern iPhone models will be eligible for the iOS 18.4 update. Supported devices are expected to include the entire iPhone 11 through iPhone 16 series, as well as the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone SE (2nd generation), and iPhone SE (3rd generation).

It's important to note that Apple Intelligence features, including the enhanced Siri, will be limited to a select group of devices. These currently include the iPhone 16 series, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Release Timeline

Developers can anticipate receiving the first beta version of iOS 18.4 in the near future. Public beta testers will likely follow shortly after. The official public release of iOS 18.4 is projected for April or May of 2025.

This update signifies Apple's continued commitment to advancing its AI capabilities and user experience across its product ecosystem.