Apple has officially announced that iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 will be available in April 2025, introducing several new features and improvements for iPhone and iPad users. While the beta version is already accessible to developers and public testers, the final release is expected to bring enhancements in notifications, music, and a brand-new food-focused section within Apple News+.
One of the most exciting additions in iOS 18.4 is the launch of Apple News+ Food, a dedicated section inside the Apple News app, tailored for Apple News+ subscribers. This new feature offers access to a vast collection of recipes from renowned food publishers like Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and Allrecipes.
Beyond just recipes, this section includes engaging content on restaurant trends, healthy eating guides, and essential kitchen tools. Apple has enhanced the browsing experience, allowing users to filter, search, and explore recipes with a visually immersive format. The new Cook Mode turns recipes into a full-screen layout, making it convenient to follow instructions while cooking. Additionally, users can save their favorite recipes for offline access.
Apple is integrating Priority Notifications, a feature powered by Apple Intelligence, which intelligently identifies and highlights the most crucial notifications on the Lock Screen. However, this feature is exclusive to high-end devices, including the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the upcoming iPhone 16 series. This AI-driven notification system ensures that essential alerts are surfaced, reducing distractions and improving productivity.
Music enthusiasts will benefit from the Ambient Music feature in the Control Center. This new functionality allows users to play handpicked songs across four distinct categories:
Sleep – Relaxing tracks for a peaceful night’s rest.
Chill – Soothing melodies for unwinding.
Productivity – Background music to boost focus.
Wellbeing – Tracks that promote mindfulness and relaxation.
With this addition, Apple aims to enhance the listening experience by providing mood-based playlists accessible directly from the Control Center.
For users in the European Union (EU), iOS 18.4 introduces the ability to set default apps for maps and translation. This means users can now choose Google Maps or another preferred navigation app as their default, instead of being restricted to Apple Maps. Similarly, users can select a preferred translation app rather than relying solely on Apple’s built-in translation service. This change aligns with Apple’s compliance with EU regulations promoting greater user choice.
Apple continues to expand its AI-driven capabilities with iOS 18.4. The update extends Apple Intelligence support to additional languages, including French, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese. This enhancement improves AI-driven features like text generation, predictive typing, and voice recognition, making the system more accessible to global users.
The Image Playground feature in iOS 18.4 receives an update with a new Sketch drawing style, joining the existing Animation and Illustration styles. This tool, powered by Apple Intelligence, allows users to create AI-generated images based on text descriptions. Whether users prefer animated visuals or hand-drawn sketches, the enhanced Image Playground offers more creative flexibility.
Apple is continuing its tradition of introducing new emoji characters with each major update. iOS 18.4 is expected to bring fresh additions, though the official list has yet to be confirmed. However, the Unicode Consortium’s previous preview hinted at new emojis, such as:
Face with bags under eyes – Representing exhaustion or stress.
Harp – A musical instrument emoji.
Shovel – Representing gardening, construction, or hard work.
These new emojis will enhance the way users express emotions and ideas in their conversations.
Apple is also planning to roll out a Vision Pro app for iPhone users later in the iOS 18.4 update cycle. This app will serve as a central hub for Vision Pro users, allowing them to:
Download apps designed for Vision Pro.
Discover Apple TV content optimized for the device.
Access helpful tips and guides related to the Vision Pro experience.
With Apple’s focus on spatial computing, this app is expected to play a crucial role in integrating Vision Pro features with the iPhone ecosystem.
The iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates bring a range of exciting features aimed at enhancing user experience, improving notifications, music streaming, Apple Intelligence, and app customization. With a focus on personalization and AI-driven enhancements, this update is set to make Apple devices smarter and more intuitive. Stay tuned for the official release in April 2025 to explore these new features!