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Here's Everything New in the Messages App on iOS 18
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That's correct, only imessage for now... I think send later feature is housed on imessage servers.... Not sure if this is something Apple will expand to sms and rcs later.
"Any app can be locked behind Face ID, Touch ID, or an iPhone's passcode on iOS 18, including the Messages app." Hmmm. How might this affect the sweet importing of 2FA codes into apps logins? Will msg app need to be open? Does this add a step?
iOS 18 adds many new features to the Messages app, including the ability to schedule messages to be sent later, the ability to use any emoji or sticker as a Tapback, text formatting options like bold and italics, and much more.
iOS 18 is currently available in beta for members of the Apple Developer Program, with a public beta to follow in July. The software update should be widely released in September, and it is compatible with the iPhone XS and newer.
Below, we outline everything new in the Messages app on iOS 18, including some smaller changes that Apple's website does not mention.
Schedule Messages
iMessages can now be scheduled to be sent at a later date and time in both individual and group conversations. As of the first iOS 18 beta, you can schedule a message to be sent up to 14 days later. After scheduling a message, it becomes visible to you in a dotted-line bubble, with edit, delete, and reschedule options.
To access this feature, tap the plus sign to the left of the text field, tap More, and tap Send Later.
Tapback Changes
Redesigned Tapbacks
The classic set of Tapback icons are now colorful, including the heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, HA HA, exclamation marks, and question mark.
Emoji Tapbacks
You can now use any emoji or sticker as a Tapback.
Improved Visibility
It is now easier to view multiple Tapback reactions on a single message.
Text Formatting and Effects
Bold, italics, underline, and strikeout formatting is finally available for iMessages. In addition, there are all-new text effects that can animate words within an iMessage, including Big, Small, Shake, Nod, Explode, Ripple, Bloom, and Jitter.
Messages via Satellite (U.S. Only)
iOS 18 allows you to send and receive both iMessages and SMS messages via a satellite connection, even if there is no emergency.
This feature will work with messages, emoji, and Tapbacks, and all iMessages sent over satellite are secured with end-to-end encryption.
Messages via satellite is available on all iPhone 14 models and newer in the U.S. only at launch.
Hands-on demo videos show the feature in action.
RCS Support (Later This Year)
Apple's website says that iOS 18 will support RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app. While this feature is not enabled in the first iOS 18 beta, Apple said it will be rolled out later this year, likely by time iOS 18 is widely released.
WWDC keynote slide confirming RCS support on iOS 18
RCS support will result in the following improvements to the default messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices:
SMS continues to be supported as well.
- Higher-resolution photos and videos
- Audio messages
- Typing indicators
- Read receipts
- Wi-Fi messaging
- Improved group chats, including the ability for iPhone users to leave a conversation that includes Android users
Emoji and Link Card Changes
When you send a message with only a single emoji, it now appears even larger than before.
Link cards are now more colorful, with the background better matching the linked content.
For some links, you can now choose between full-size and compact link cards, and there is an option to send a link as plain text instead.
Other Changes
- Any app can be locked behind Face ID, Touch ID, or an iPhone's passcode on iOS 18, including the Messages app.
- iOS 18 can solve math equations in the text field of any app, including the Messages app.
- iOS 18 adds contact photos next to names in the Messages app on CarPlay.
Article Link: Here's Everything New in the Messages App on iOS 18
Sorry, I’m confused.
So you’re saying we won’t be charged for international messaging?
not your fault I could have been more clear. You are correct there is not chare for international messages, it operates like whatsapp, wechat etc in that regard.
I would assume it's the same as it is now. I get notifications when someone in my family reacts to a message, even if I didn't create the message.
So what if a iDevice sends a iOS 18 feature to a older iDevice that’s incapable of upgrading to iOS 18
I can see why folks would want this- I do it in Teams all the time for work stuff, but have never needed it in my personal life
Tim Apple recommends you buy your mom a new iPhone.
its always the little things. But fixing bugs isnt as glamorous as announcing new features during a keynote (even if those features wont be fully baked and ready for prime time for half a year)
thats not true. in older ms apps you get a picture of the newer functions (for example wordart or excel graphs etc). you cant edit, but you can see the information which is nice.
Back in fall 2022 when the iPhones 14 and iOS 16 were introduced, Emergency SOS via satellite was initially limited to USA and Canada (iOS 16.1).
The service was expanded to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December 2022 (iOS 16.2), and further expanded to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland in March 2023 (iOS 16.4).
Based on this, and given Globalstar's ongoing work to upgrade its satellite constellation, it seems quite possible that Apple will slowly roll out iMessage/SMS via satellite to additional countries in late 2024 and 2025. Though one difference with the introduction of Emergency SOS via satellite in 2022 and iMessage via satellite in 2024 is that the former was initially USA + Canada only, and the latter seems to be USA-only (no Canada). No idea what accounts for this difference.
A related question is when any of Apple's satellite communications services (SOS, Find My, iMessage, SMS) will expand to additional countries not listed above (India? Japan, Philippines? Eastern Europe? South America? Africa? Middle East?). And, kind-of in a separate category all on its own, given the significant geopolitical considerations: Taiwan?
A further question is when, if ever, Apple might support RCS via satellite.
Edit: one additional thought: though Apple currently only supports connecting to the Globalstar satellite network, it would be extremely useful in the future if additional networks could be supported (e.g. Starlink). There are commercial and political reasons why this might not happen any time soon, but it would be the technical ideal, and I hope it happens some day.
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Apple only begrudgingly went with RCS because of China, I wouldn't expect them to go over minimum viable product unless its a mandate of some sort, its just not aligned with their interests in this area.
This is a very plausible interpretation -- you may be right.
Still, RCS is an immature protocol, and an alternative explanation might be that Apple is waiting for some technical details to be improved or worked out. For example, Apple stated last week that it had do to some significant optimization work on iMessage to get it to work well within the bandwidth-limited constraints of the Globalstar satellite network. Maybe some similar work/adjustments would be necessary to support RCS over satellite; if so, this could be more complicated as it would require working together with multiple other companies (not least Google, which has proven itself to be extremely unreliable when it comes to messaging protocols).
Anyway, I think your explanation and expectation are more likely to be correct, but I wouldn't entirely exclude other possibilities.
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you are saying Apple can't update iOS10 by adding all these new features and release it as iOS 10.5 ?
Sometimes I want to pre-text the kids reminders like make your mother a card for her birthday or I want to message someone but at a better time of day for them to get it. I use scheduled emails all the time in gmail it’s a huge part of my email management.
This list is missing an important update. WWDC also announced that HDR gain maps would be supported in iMessage too (along with Photos, Quick Look, and Preview). So you can share images from your phone camera that look the same on the receiving phone as on yours (much higher image quality with increased peak brightness and highlight color/contrast/detail).
That is very true, but this will confuse people with disabilities. I hope Apple will make a clear distinction between underlined and hyperlinkedope someone can provide a screenshot of what it looks like in the iOS 18 beta. texts. I also h
Yup, and on another messaging app I use (Telegram) it is like that
I fully agree with you in saying that having it anywhere aside from a long press of the send button seems unintuitive
I'm on the dev beta myself, so I'm going to send feedback to Apple to reconsider where they have this option; I honestly didn't know where it was until coming to this post