Apple is expected to release iOS 18.3 to the public sometime next week. Because this version changes the number immediately after the decimal, it will offer more significant upgrades than the recently released iOS 18.2.1.
That version contained significant bug fixes and security tweaks, but it didn't introduce anything exciting that would change day-to-day usage. That's not to say iOS 18.3 won't include the requisite bug fixes and security updates, but it'll also have new features users can enjoy.
What's new in iOS 18.3?
While iOS 18.3 does offer new features, none of them are what most users would consider game-changing to the overall iOS 18 experience. That is to say, if you don't like what Apple is doing with its latest OS versions and Apple Intelligence, nothing about this new version is likely to convert you.
One nice improvement Apple is releasing comes to the sometimes maligned notification summaries (remember when Apple had to disable them due to inaccurate information). When Apple Intelligence summarizes a notification, italicized text appears. This makes summarized notifications stand out and lets you know they're not regular notifications more quickly.
Visual Intelligence, one of the more useful features of Apple Intelligence, gets some upgrades for all iPhone 16 models. It can add an event from a poster or flyer to the Calendar app. The feature can also identify animals and plants, increasing its usefulness.
The calculator app is getting a minor tweak that can help speed up workflows. Now, tapping the equals sign a second time makes it repeat the last mathematical operation.
Finally, there are a couple of significant bug fixes. First, the keyboard might disappear when initiating a typed Siri request. Second, audio playback continues until the song ends after closing Apple Music.
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