The Messages app is a mainstay of Apple’s operating systems, and at the time of the big annual update, it still benefits from special attention. This is the case with iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.
For the annual review of the Messages app, Apple took care of the small details. Like the new text editing options: words can finally benefit from effects such as bold, italics, underline, or a strikethrough effect. But there’s more: special effects and animations applicable to each word are also available. There’s a little bit of everything, from exploding to hopping, swaying, or shaking. Success (probably) guaranteed!
The Tapback feature, which until now was limited to a handful of monochrome images embedded in a speech bubble in front of a sentence, is gaining momentum. You can now send an emoji – any emoji – in full color and even a sticker, all in color! Imagine it, the dazzling flashes of progress.
Another long-awaited feature is also appearing, scheduled sending of messages. To use it, you have to go through the “app drawer” (via the + button) which chooses a default date and time a bit randomly; You are free to select another one, of course. The scheduled message can also be sent immediately or deleted.
iOS 18 will also inaugurate RCS support, announced last November to everyone’s surprise (and a priori to please China). This will finally allow iOS and Android users to share photos and videos in good definition and better integrate group chats.
Finally, the Messages app will take advantage of the satellite access available in the iPhone 14 and later: you will be able to send SMS and iMessages through this channel, when you are outside of a Wi-Fi or cellular network. iMessages will be end-to-end encrypted. Until now, this service has only been used for emergency SOS. Unfortunately, this new feature is limited to the United States to begin with.
