These Apple apps could get a major AI overhaul in iOS 18

AI upgrades are on the way

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iOS 18looks set to be one of thebiggest and most significant iOS updatesinApple’s history, and while most of the attention so far has focused on a range of interesting-soundingAI features, a new report gives us an idea of which apps are set to get an AI overhaul.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman hasoutlined a range of appsthat he believes are due an update in the next version of Apple’s iPhoneoperating system. They include the Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness apps, in what would amount to a near-total revamp of the operating system.

The rumor, located in the paid-for section of Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, was light on specifics – Gurman didn’t explain exactly what would change regarding the aforementioned apps, but considering that he’s previously touted iOS 18 as one of the most sizable software updates in years, there could be a lot in the cards. Some of these apps are long overdue a revamp, so the news will be welcome to anyone who uses them on a regular basis.

A huge iOS update

Gurman’s latest newsletter isn’t the first time he’s teased some interesting tidbits relating to iOS 18. A few days earlier, he reported that Apple is in talks withChatGPTmakerOpenAIaboutpowering generative AI features on future iPhones. Apple has reportedly heldsimilar discussions with Google, and we could find out which system will be loaded into iOS at Apple’sWorldwide Developers Conference (WWDC)on June 10.

Apple has long been rumored to be developingits own large language model(the underlying systems that power AI chatbots), but Gurman doesn’t believe this will be announced atWWDC. However, the company has also been weaving AI into many of the apps and features that come with iOS, and this will reportedly be amajor themeof this year’s WWDC show.

While the latest Power On newsletter is light on detail regarding apps in iOS 18, past rumors have shed light on what we might see. For instance, we’ve heard that theCalculator app will be revampedwith a new sidebar and user interface, and that theNotes appwill be able to perform mathematical equations.Apple Maps – already a strong competitor to Google Maps– could be upgraded withtopographic mapsand the ability to createcustom routes, and the Siri assistant might get amajor AI overhaulto make it more useful and accurate.

Ultimately, we’ll have to wait until WWDC to find out exactly what Apple has up its sleeve. But with only a couple of months to go, there’s not long until all is revealed.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he’s learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That’s all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.

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