You already know that Apple Intelligence is coming with iOS 18 later this year but let’s not forget that it is a release packed with customisation options. And for users in India, iOS 18 presents features to improve the experience across the phone.

Customise Lock Screen and Contact Posters

You will be able to customise the time on the lock screen with Indian numerals from 12 languages: Bangla, Arabic, Arabic Indic, Devanagari, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Kannada, Malayalam, Meitei, Odia, Ol Chiki, Telugu, and adjust the font colour and weight to create exactly the look they want for their Contact Posters.

Better communication

The latest version of iOS introduces Live Voicemail Transcription in Indian English, support for Live Caller ID as well as a smart call history search and new phone keypad search and dialling experience.

More control for dual SIM

In India, the idea of dual SIM is very popular. A SIM switch in the redesigned Control Centre allows users to quickly select the SIM they want to use.

Multilingual keyboard

On iPhone 12 and later, users can type phonetically with latin characters in English and up to two additional Indian languages for a trilingual predictive typing experience. This is available in Messages, Notes, and anywhere where users have access to keyboard. The multilingual keyboard also supports QuickPath and Emoji Prediction. Additional language scripts show up on the left and right of the suggestions field so users can seamlessly switch between them. When a user has multiple message threads going in different languages the multi-lingual keyboard remembers the script they were using in the previous conversation and automatically changes to the correct the language and suggestions as they user types. Available in English, Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu. The bilingual keyboard experience (English + Hindi) continues to be available on all devices that support iOS 18.

Alphabetical keyboard layouts

The iPhone now supports alphabetical layouts for 11 Indian languages allowing users to type in Indian scripts directly. Alphabetical layouts are available in 11 languages: Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

Enhanced language search

Users can find the word they are looking for in the spellings that they are accustomed to without having to consider the spelling style that the content is composed in. Enhanced language search is available in Assamese, Bangla, Devanagari and Gujarati.

Multilingual Siri

Siri can now understand nine Indian languages as well as Indian English. Users can ask Siri to set Alarms and timers, launch an app, get directions, play music or check the weather by using English mixed with a local language. Users can mix English with Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil & Telugu. The voice assistant now has the ability to respond in Hindi to Hindi queries.

Translate app

In iOS 18, support is added for Hindi in the Translate app, Safari webpages and other systemwide translation features, including apps like Notes.