Apple reveals when iPhone will get major new software update

Apple has revealed when iPhones will get its major upcoming update, iOS 18.

The company revealed a host of new products, including four new iPhones, during an event held at its California headquarters on Monday.

But it also announced a change that will come to most existing iPhones, for free: the release of iOS 18.

That will be available to download from 16 September, Apple said.

When it is released, it can be downloaded through the Settings app. Eligible phones will also prompt owners to upgrade.

It will be available for every iPhone that can run today’s iOS 17.

The update brings new customisation opens for the home screen and changes to apps such as Photos.

But it is notably missing Apple’s biggest upcoming software feature: Apple Intelligence, its suite of AI-powered near tools.

That will not arrive until October, Apple said. Even then, it will only be available in US English, with further localisation including the UK coming in December and then new languages such as Chinese in January.

Unlike iOS 18, the hardware requirements to run Apple Intelligence are restrictive: it will only be available on the latest iPhone 15 Pro, as well as all new iPhone 16 models. It will not be available in the European Union, owing to a dispute with regulators.

Both iOS 18 and iOS 18.1 – the latter of which includes Apple Intelligence – are available in beta version today. They can be downloaded by joining Apple’s beta program, though doing some comes with warnings about possible technical issues and bugs.