Skip to main content

Here’s how iOS 18 will make iMessage better than ever

Close-up photo of the Messages app on an iPhone.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends
Promotional logo for WWDC 2023.
This story is part of our complete Apple WWDC coverage

We can’t wait for Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2024) keynote on Monday, June 10. During that event, Apple will undoubtedly introduce iOS 18 for iPhones, including the iPhone 15 Pro. The rumor mill has long suggested that iOS 18 may be a giant iPhone update.

Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has given us a peek at what changes could be coming to iMessage in the upcoming software update.

Recommended Videos

One of the major new features expected in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and other upcoming software updates from Apple is the introduction of new AI capabilities under the umbrella of “Apple Intelligence.” According to Gurman, a significant part of this set of features will involve providing you with summarization tools. For example, the new AI will allow you to quickly summarize articles and webpages in Safari and condense meeting notes, text messages, and emails.

Things will extend further for the native Messages app. Thanks to AI, you can reply to messages using “fully fleshed-out responses.”

In addition to AI improvements, iMessage is also receiving updates to its built-in effects feature. In iOS 18, you can trigger an effect with specific words, and there are new colorful icons for Tapbacks. You can also use emoji for Tapbacks for the first time. The most exciting update could be the ability to schedule messages to be sent later.

Yes, you heard right. We will soon be able to schedule messages to be sent sometime in the future. Thank you, AI!

You might also recall that this update brings another feature to the Messages app: rich communication services (RCS). As promised by Apple, this SMS successor will make sharing messages with Android users easier.

We’ll hear more about the new iOS 18 goodies soon enough. As a reminder, the WWDC keynote kicks off at 10 a.m. PT on Monday , June 10. You can stream the event live or through a time delay across multiple platforms, including the web, Apple TV, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter).

Bryan M. Wolfe
Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
Will my iPad get iPadOS 26? Here’s every supported model
We've got the full list of iPadOS 26 supported devices - find out if you're getting the new iPad update
iPadOS 26 home screen on an iPad

Apple announced iPadOS 26 at WWDC 2025, and the new iPad update comes with a fresh new look and plenty of features. Apple has ensured there are plenty of iPadOS 26 supported slates, so if you have a relatively new iPad you should get the update this year.

And no, you haven't missed a volley of updates since iPadOS 18 in 2024. Apple has skipped a bunch of numbers, so instead of giving us iPadOS 19 in 2025, we got iPadOS 26 alongside iOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 and tvOS 26.

Read more
Will my iPhone get iOS 26? Here’s every supported model
We've got the full list of iOS 26 supported devices - find out if you're getting the new iPhone update
iOS 26 features on a series of iPhone screens

Apple announced iOS 26 at WWDC 2025, and the new iPhone update comes with a fresh new 'Liquid Glass' look and plenty of features - and there are loads of iOS 26 supported devices, which is great news.

And no, you haven't missed a volley of updates since iOS 18 in 2024. Apple has skipped a bunch of numbers, so instead of giving us iOS 19 in 2025, we got iOS 26 alongside iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 and tvOS 26. In short, Apple's brought its operating system numbering into line. Nice.

Read more
3 big iOS 19 changes that I hope Apple reveals at WWDC 2025
iOS 19 sample logo.

We’re less than two days away from Apple’s big WWDC 2025 keynote, where the company will reveal new versions of each of its software platforms. One of the biggest changes this year is the expected shift from iOS 19 to iOS 26, with new versions of macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS also set to follow suit. We're also expecting to see the evolution of Apple Health, including a new AI doctor and Health subscription.

iOS 26, if it is to be named that, is expected to introduce one of the biggest evolutions in design for Apple software since the first iPhone was launched. Inspired by visionOS and the Apple Vision Pro, it’s expected to be a monumental redesign, but I hope that Apple also takes the time to make a few improvements.

Read more