Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 unveiled iOS 18, bringing a wave of new features designed to enhance user experience, particularly for users in India. This latest update introduces extensive customization options and enhanced multilingual support, showcasing Apple’s commitment to catering to the diverse needs of its Indian user base.
Customization Options
Lock Screen and Contact Posters With iOS 18, users can now personalize their lock screens with Indian numerals from 12 different languages, including Arabic, Bangla, Devanagari, Gujarati, Kannada, and Telugu. This customization extends to Contact Posters, allowing adjustments in font color and weight to create a more personalized visual experience.
Enhanced Communication
Live Voicemail Transcription For Indian English speakers, iOS 18 debuts real-time voicemail transcription, making it easier to manage and respond to voice messages without listening to them.
Live Caller ID and Smart Call History Search The update also brings real-time caller identification and improved search capabilities within call history, ensuring a seamless communication experience.
New Phone Keypad Search An upgraded phone keypad interface enhances the dialing experience, making it more intuitive and efficient.
Improved Dual SIM Control
Redesigned Control Center The Control Center has been redesigned to facilitate quick and easy switching between SIM cards, a feature particularly beneficial for dual SIM users in India.
Multilingual Support
Keyboard Enhancements iOS 18 introduces significant keyboard improvements for iPhone 12 and later models. Users can now type phonetically in Latin characters for English and up to two additional Indian languages, benefiting from predictive typing, QuickPath, and Emoji Prediction.
Alphabetical Keyboard Layouts The update includes alphabetical keyboard layouts for 11 Indian languages, dynamically adjusting keys based on user input to simplify typing in native scripts.
Enhanced Language Search
Improved Functionality Language search functionality has been refined to accommodate various spelling variations, ensuring users can easily find content using familiar spellings in languages such as Assamese, Bangla, Devanagari, and Gujarati.
Multilingual Siri
Extended Language Support Siri now supports nine additional Indian languages alongside Indian English. Users can interact with Siri in a mix of English and regional languages for tasks like setting alarms and launching apps. Siri can also respond in Hindi, enhancing its usability for a broader audience.
Translate App Integration
Expanded Language Support The Translate app now supports Hindi, extending its functionality to Safari webpages and systemwide translation features.
Move to iOS App
Enhanced Migration The Move to iOS app has been updated to improve transfer speeds and reliability. It also offers more transfer options, including both wireless and wired connections, to facilitate a smoother transition to iPhone.
Availability
iOS 18 will be available as a free update this fall. Developers currently have access to the beta version through the Apple Developer Program, allowing them to test and integrate these new features into their applications ahead of the public release.
With iOS 18, Apple continues to demonstrate its dedication to enhancing the user experience for its Indian customers, providing tools and features that cater to their unique needs and preferences.
