Apple announces iOS 18 with more customizable homescreen

Apple has just announced the next major software upgrade for the iPhone: iOS 18. At the company’s WWDC keynote, software VP Craig Federighi demonstrated a slew of new improvements coming to Apple’s own apps. First up was a more customizable homescreen that finally lets you freely place app icons wherever you want.

Control Center is also getting more advanced; you’ll be able to swipe between multiple pages of controls and toggles for your most important features, with media and smart home controls getting prominent placement.

A screenshot of Apple's more customizable homescreen. — *As rumored, the color of icons can now be customized.*

iOS 18 also increases privacy by allowing you to require authentication for any app you choose. And you can now specifically control which contacts third-party apps can access.

The Messages app is getting more expressive: you’ll be able to use any emoji in a Tapback response — and there will be new formatting for bolding, underlining, strikethrough, and italicizing.