Should I Update to iOS 18.3? Yes, and Here’s Why

ios 18.3 beta 3
Need to know the iOS 18.3 release date? Unless you work for Apple, you can't know for sure, but looking at past releases can foster a guess.

iOS 18.3 is here, and while it might not pack as many features as iOS 18.1 or iOS 18.2, it still brings changes that make the update worthwhile. You’ll notice improvements to Apple Intelligence, along with a handful of tweaks, bug fixes, and essential security updates.

Why You Should Update to iOS 18.3

1. New Visual Intelligence Features

How-to-Use-Visual-Intelligence-on-iPhone-16-Running-iOS-18.2

In iOS 18.2, Apple introduced Visual Intelligence to Camera Control on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. By long-pressing the Camera Control button, you can access an AI-powered mode to interact with your surroundings.

Now, in iOS 18.3, this feature gets even better. When your iPhone detects dates on posters or flyers, you can instantly add events to your calendar. Plus, you can now identify plants and animals with ease. Apple has showcased these features before, but iOS 18.3 is the first time they are available within Camera Control.

Check out our guide on how to fix Camera Control issues if it’s not working for you.

2. Apple Intelligence Now Enabled by Default

apple intelligence ios 18.2

With iOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence will be enabled by default. If you have an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model, you’ll get immediate access to Apple Intelligence as soon as the update is complete.

Since Apple Intelligence is now an opt-out feature, you’ll need to disable it manually in the Settings app if you don’t want to use it. In previous versions of iOS 18, you had to turn it on yourself, but with iOS 18.3, it’s automatically activated.

3. Updated Camera Control Icons

You’ll notice that Apple has updated the Camera Control icons to match the new Dark Mode. Additionally, you’ll see that the AF/AE toggle has been renamed to “Lock Focus and Exposure” for clarity.

4. AI Notification Summary Updates

Apple has also made some adjustments to its AI-generated notification summaries. Your apps can summarize notifications on your Lock Screen, and this feature is usually enabled by default. However, the BBC reported an inaccurate summary of one of its headlines.

Now, notification summaries are temporarily disabled for the News category, and a disclaimer in Settings warns that “Summaries may contain errors.” Apple has temporarily disabled them for News & Entertainment apps, but you can opt-in. On top of this, AI summaries now appear in italics, making them easier to spot. To disable them for specific apps, swipe left on a notification, tap Options, then Turn Off Summaries.

5. Genmoji Improvements

Improvements to Genmoji make it easier for you to use. Now, you can access the Genmoji option directly from the sidebar in the Messages app, making it quicker to use. This simplifies the process compared to before, when you had to open the emoji keyboard and tap the Genmoji icon in the top-right corner.

6. Calculator Repeats the Last Mathematical Operation

A highly requested feature, continuous calculation, has returned to the Calculator app in iOS 18.3. Similar to pre-iOS 18 versions, you can now press and hold the equals sign to repeat the last operation.

7. Security Updates and Bug Fixes

This update fixes the Siri keyboard bug that made it disappear after you typed a Siri request using Type to Siri. It also resolves an Apple Music issue where playback continued even after you closed the app.

Additionally, you get 25 security fixes, including one for a CoreMedia vulnerability that could elevate privileges, which Apple says may have been exploited. Another patch prevents access to the Photos app when your iPhone is locked. The update also addresses AirPlay exploits, two kernel vulnerabilities, and WebKit issues in Safari.



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