Apple has officially announced that iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 will roll out in April, bringing exciting new features and enhancements for iPhone and iPad users. The first beta version is already available for developers and public testers, offering a sneak peek at what’s coming. From a brand-new Apple News+ Food section to Priority Notifications powered by Apple Intelligence, the update is packed with useful upgrades. Here’s everything you need to know about iOS 18.4.
Apple News+ Food: A New Hub for Food Lovers
One of the most talked-about features in iOS 18.4 is Apple News+ Food, a dedicated food and cooking section within the Apple News app. Available exclusively to Apple News+ subscribers, this new hub offers a massive collection of recipes from renowned food publishers like Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and Allrecipes.
Beyond recipes, Apple News+ Food also features:
✔️ Restaurant stories and reviews
✔️ Healthy eating tips and meal ideas
✔️ Kitchen essentials and cooking techniques
✔️ Cook mode – A full-screen view that makes recipes easy to follow while cooking
Users can search, filter, and save recipes for offline access, making it a convenient all-in-one destination for food enthusiasts.
Priority Notifications: Smarter Alerts with Apple Intelligence
iOS 18.4 introduces Priority Notifications, a feature that automatically identifies and surfaces the most important notifications on your Lock Screen using Apple Intelligence.
📌 Availability: This feature is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the upcoming iPhone 16 series.
With Priority Notifications, you’ll never miss urgent updates, while less important alerts are intelligently managed to reduce distractions.
New Ambient Music Feature in Control Center
Music lovers will appreciate a new Ambient Music feature, which lets users play curated music directly from the Control Center. Apple has categorized playlists into four relaxing themes:
🎵 Sleep – Soothing tracks for bedtime
🎶 Chill – Relaxing background music
💻 Productivity – Tunes to help you focus
🧘♂️ Wellbeing – Calming music for mindfulness
This addition makes it easier than ever to set the perfect mood with a single tap.
EU Users Can Now Set Default Apps for Maps & Translation
For users in the European Union, iOS 18.4 finally allows you to set third-party apps as default for maps and translation. This means you can now replace Apple Maps with Google Maps or any other preferred navigation app.
This change aligns with Apple’s efforts to comply with new EU regulations while giving users more customization options.
Apple Intelligence Expands to More Languages
Apple is extending Apple Intelligence support to several new languages, making its smart features more accessible worldwide. The update will add support for:
🌍 French
🌍 German
🌍 Spanish
🌍 Japanese
🌍 Chinese (Simplified)
This means users across the globe will get more personalized and accurate AI-driven suggestions and interactions.
New Sketch Drawing Style in Image Playground
The Image Playground feature in iOS 18.4 is getting a new “Sketch” drawing style, alongside the existing Animation and Illustration styles. This AI-powered tool allows users to generate images from text descriptions, making creative projects even more fun and interactive.
New Emojis Coming Soon
Apple is known for adding fresh emojis with every major iOS update, and iOS 18.4 is no exception. While the full list isn’t confirmed yet, last year’s Unicode Consortium preview hinted at new emoji options, including:
🎭 Face with bags under eyes
🎼 Harp
🛠️ Shovel
And more!
Expect these emojis to roll out with iOS 18.4 or in a follow-up minor update.
Upcoming Vision Pro App for iPhone Users
Apple has confirmed that later in the iOS 18.4 update cycle, they will introduce a dedicated Vision Pro app for iPhone users. This app will act as a hub for Vision Pro owners, allowing them to:
📲 Download Vision Pro apps
📺 Discover exclusive Apple TV content
🛠️ Access helpful tips and support
This move highlights Apple’s continued focus on expanding its Vision Pro ecosystem.
Final Thoughts: What to Expect from iOS 18.4
With iOS 18.4 officially rolling out in April, Apple is bringing several exciting enhancements, including:
✅ Apple News+ Food for food lovers
✅ Priority Notifications powered by Apple Intelligence
✅ New Ambient Music feature for quick access to mood-based playlists
✅ Default app selection for maps and translation in the EU
✅ Expanded Apple Intelligence language support
✅ Fresh emojis and creative tools
Stay tuned for more updates as Apple finalizes the release. Are you excited about iOS 18.4? Let us know which feature you’re looking forward to the most!