Each Fall, Apple announces their latest version of iOS, along with the new model of their esteemed iPhone. This year’s release takes place on September 16, 2024—marking the official entry of iOS 18 into the world.
With each new version of iOS, nearly 80% of iPhone users adopt the latest version immediately upon release. Due to the high adoption rate among users, it is especially important that apps are ready to handle the new features that come with the iOS 18 release.
Perfecto has an extensive track record of providing day-one support for new releases, going back to the release of the first iPhone in 2007—and the iOS 18 release is no exception.
In this blog, we will cover the specifics of the latest iOS 18 release, as well as highlight Perfecto’s same-day support, which enables our customers to test their apps ahead of the curve—and outpace the competition.
Related Reading: The Future Is Now: Mobile and Web App Testing With AI
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What Is iOS 18?
iOS 18 is the newest Apple iOS release for iPhone and is the successor to iOS 17. The iOS 18 release was originally introduced in beta form as iOS 18 beta and it introduces a host of new features and capabilities for iOS users and app developers alike.
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Perfecto’s Same-Day Support for the iOS 18 Release
Perfecto has consistently been ahead of the curve when it comes to new releases and is committed to same-day support for customers. Since most iPhone users adopt their iOS version as soon as it becomes available, apps need to be ready on day one of the iOS 18 release. Developers and testing teams will need to test their applications against a variety of new and upgraded features that come with the iOS 18 release.
With a fully equipped cloud device lab, hosting real devices, as well as simulators and emulators, Perfecto enables customers to test on the newest devices and operating systems, including iOS 18—from day one. The new iPhone 16 series devices will be available in Perfecto’s device lab upon their release on September 20.
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New Features Available With the iOS 18 Release
Among the new features introduced with iOS 18, the most notable is Apple Intelligence, an AI feature that “draws on your personal context to give you intelligence that’s most helpful and relevant to you.” Apple Intelligence will be released in beta form with the subsequent iOS 18.1 update.
The iOS 18 release encompasses a host of new features and upgrades that app testers and developers will need to test their apps against. In addition to the soon-to-come Apple Intelligence, some of these features include:
- Customizable home screens
- Genmojis (artificial intelligence-generated emojis) that users can create, complete with a description
- A redesigned photos app, which allows users to search through photos by the month or year taken
- Image Playground, an AI feature that allows users to generate images in messages
- Rewrite, summarize, and proofread emails, notes, and third-party apps
- Transcription services in the notes and phone app
- Schedule messages
- And much more.
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Prepare Your Apps for the iOS 18 Release
The new iPhone 16 series is expected to be released on September 20, 2024 following the iOS 18 release. With the iOS 18 release, dev teams should be aware that the iPhone X series, iPhone 8 series, and earlier models will no longer be updatable as part of iOS 18.
To prepare your apps for the iOS 18 release, it is important to consider the common challenges associated with a release. These include inadequate test coverage, overreliance on manual testing vs. automation, not catching bugs and glitches in production, and more.
Enterprise organizations in particular must be release ready, as they provide essential services to their customers. Banks and other large financial institutions, healthcare providers, telecom companies, and retailers must ensure that their apps are functioning seamlessly on day one.
Back to topRelated Webinar: Are You Release Ready? Ensuring Your Test Coverage Meets the Mark
Related Webinar: Safe, Not Sorry: How Dev & QA Prepares for Future Apple, Android Releases
Bottom Line
The iOS 18 release is another leap forward when it comes to artificial intelligence and other features. As with every new release, testing and dev teams must ensure they are delivering exceptional user experience from day one.
Perfecto is the continuous testing solution that allows you to scale the complexity of a wide range of tests, in parallel with multiple devices, browsers, and OSs—including new releases like iOS 18—in one unified DevOps pipeline, while reducing the time and resources needed to achieve winning results.
Perfecto provides a cloud platform that helps you successfully automate and scale up your testing strategy while maintaining up-to-date test coverage from beta to release day and beyond.
Ensure your apps are ready for the iOS 18 release by signing up for a free 14-day trial of Perfecto today.