Skip to main content

Your iPhone and Apple Watch are getting huge software updates today

An iPhone home screen with iOS 18.
Apple

In June, Apple announced new software features for some of its most popular devices, including the iPhone and Apple Watch. Today, everyone with supported devices will receive the iOS 18 and watchOS 11 updates.

Apple has not officially announced the exact timing for today’s new software updates, but they typically follow a consistent process for each update. It looks like iOS 18 and watchOS 11 will likely be released at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. In addition to these updates, Apple will release iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and visionOS 2.

Recommended Videos

Most iPhones work with iOS 18, although it’s important to note that your phone must have an A12 Bionic chip or newer installed. For watchOS 11, you must have an Apple Watch Series 5 or later.

Apple’s iOS 18 was originally supposed to include Apple Intelligence. However, those AI tools will not be released to the general public until later this year or early next year.

In iOS 18, you can customize your phone’s home screen with new features. There’s also a redesigned Control Center, improvements to iMessage, a revamped Photos app, an updated Password app, and more.

A widget of the Vitals app in watchOS 11 on the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

WatchOS 11 includes a new Vitals app, an enhanced Smart Stack, the option to pause your Activity Rings, workout improvements, a Translate app, and the ability to set different Move, Exercise, and Stand ring goals. A new Photos watch face is also being introduced.

The company continues to release significant updates for all its products. If you’re anticipating the arrival of your new iPhone 16 or Apple Watch Series 10, you won’t need to worry about installing these updates as they are already preinstalled on the devices.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
Forget the iPhone 17 Pro design, the 20th anniversary iPhone could be the boldest yet
Leaked render of iPhone 17 Pro Max rear panel.

There are always plenty of rumours surrounding the next iPhone, with some even appearing over a year before the model in question is due to be announced. For this year it is the iPhone 17 series that is expected to be announced in September, with several reports claiming there will be a design change for the Pro models coming, as well as the arrival if a super slim iPhone. 

But the latest report we are talking about here isn't about this year's iPhone, or even next year's. It's for the 20th anniversary iPhone model, that is set to arrive in 2027, alongside a potential folding iPhone. According to Mark Gurman's latest Power On newsletter, picked up by Macrumors, the iPhone Pro that launches alongside the folding iPhone will feature a "bold" design that makes more extensive use of glass.

Read more
Don’t hold your hopes for a fancy design refresh on the iPhone 17 Pro
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max's screen.

For nearly half a decade, Apple has sold smartphones that fundamentally serve the same design language originating on the iPhone 11. Later this year, the iPhone 17 series will hit the shelves. If you’ve been expecting an aesthetic makeover, there’s some bad news for you, unless you’re ready to spend big bucks on one of the Pro models. 

According to Bloomberg, the iPhone 17 Pro “will look meaningfully different,” compared to its iPhone 16 series counterpart. Alongside the rumored super-sleek iPhone 17 Air trim, these two are reportedly the biggest design refreshes in recent years on Apple smartphones. The approach, however, would still be quite modest. 

Read more
A $2,300 iPhone? The recent tariffs make that a possibility
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max's charging port.

Apple's iPhone might see a serious price hike in response to the recent tariffs, according to a report from Rosenblatt Securities. Analysts suggest the tariffs could result in a price increase of anywhere from 30% to 40%, if Apple chooses to pass the increased costs on to consumers. Neil Shah, an analyst from Counterpoint Research, suggests Apple would need to increase prices by 30% on average, while Rosenblatt analysts say the number is closer to 43%.

To illustrate what that might look like, take a look at the current $799 price point for the iPhone 16. If its price increases by 43%, it would come out to around $1,142. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 Pro Max — currently priced at $1,599 for its base model — could jump to just under $2,300 ($2,286.57, to be exact.)

Read more