Impact of iOS 18 on Third-Party Apps
At the WWDC 2024 event, Apple introduced many new features for the operating systems iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. Some of these features overlap with the functions of popular third-party apps, potentially making these apps obsolete. Here are 8 notable apps that could be affected:
1. 1Password
Previously, although it was possible to store passwords across all Apple devices using iCloud Keychain, accessing saved authentication information required navigating through the Settings app, which was quite inconvenient.
Fortunately, Apple introduced a dedicated password management app along with iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. This app can store your passwords and usernames, and even has separate tabs for Passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes. You can access it on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or even a Windows PC.
2. Rectangle
One of the most attractive features that Windows PCs have is dedicated support for window snapping. You just drag a window to the edge of the screen, and it automatically snaps into place. This functionality has been significantly missing on macOS for years, requiring users to rely on third-party apps like Rectangle or Magnet.
Fortunately, macOS Sequoia now includes this functionality, and it works quite well. You just drag a window to a corner or an edge and arrange your windows just like on a PC. However, it's not possible to assign custom shortcut keys for arranging windows, and there are only a few preset settings to choose from.
3. Grammarly
The biggest highlight of WWDC 2024 is undoubtedly Apple Intelligence, a set of AI features designed to run on Apple devices. A standout feature is Writing Tools, which helps to improve writing by proofreading, summarizing, or even rewriting text in different tones. And it's not limited to Apple's apps; it works system-wide and is entirely free.
A significant advantage of Writing Tools is that all its features run on-device, making them faster and accessible even without an internet connection. Additionally, you can create text and images using the Compose feature, utilizing OpenAI's GPT-4o model for optimal results.
4. Widgetsmith
Many apps on the App Store allow customizing the iPhone's home screen, including creating themes for all app icons. One of the most popular apps for this is Widgetsmith, which allows customizing both app icons and widgets.
However, some of these functionalities are now natively included in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. You can create themes for all app icons to match any color you choose.
5. Bezel
Bezel is a fantastic app for macOS and VisionOS, allowing you to mirror your iPhone screen on your Mac or Vision Pro with significantly better quality than using AirPlay.
With macOS Sequoia, Apple introduced a new feature called iPhone Mirroring, which not only wirelessly mirrors the iPhone screen on a Mac but also allows controlling it using a trackpad and keyboard.
Additionally, while using iPhone Mirroring, all notifications and sounds on the iPhone are forwarded to the Mac. This new feature offers more functionalities than Bezel, making its future likely impacted when macOS Sequoia launches.
6. AllTrails
If you enjoy hiking, this is the app for you. The Apple Maps app in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will display a detailed trail network and hiking routes for all national parks in the USA. Moreover, you don't need an internet connection as you can download all the data on your iPhone for offline use.
It's odd that Apple rolled out this feature, as they awarded the iPhone App of the Year 2023 to AllTrails, which offers similar functionality. However, it's not the end for AllTrails. Unlike Apple's new feature, AllTrails is not limited to the USA. It has a large community and offers more features.
7. Newji
One of the favorite features in Apple Intelligence is surely Genmoji, allowing the creation of unique emoticons using Generative AI with text prompts. This is especially useful when you want to use an emoticon that doesn't exist in iOS, iPadOS, or macOS.
Although this feature may seem new to most people, you could do it with an app named Newji. It also allows creating entirely new emoticons and even group or chat icons based on prompts. However, Genmoji seems to be a better idea as it integrates well with other messaging apps and creates all emoticons on-device.
However, note that Genmoji, like all other features of Apple Intelligence, will not be available until later this year.
8. TapeACall
Unlike Android, iOS 17 did not provide native call recording support. Although you could record your iPhone calls using a third-party app like TapeACall, you had to dial TapeACall's recording line and merge the two calls to record, which was not secure or user-friendly.
Fortunately, iOS 18 has an integrated call recording feature that can record audio and create transcripts. This poses a threat to transcription apps like Otter. When recording calls on iPhone, the transcript is automatically saved in the Notes app, where Apple Intelligence can record and summarize the recorded call.
