iOS 18 Messages App: New Features and Enhancements Coming Soon

Major changes are coming to the Messages app with iOS 18, introducing several fun Apple Intelligence features, new formatting options, updated effects, satellite support, improved texting with Android users, and more.

iOS 18 Messages Features

Send Later

iOS 18 adds the option to schedule an iMessage to be sent at a later time or date. For instance, you can schedule a happy birthday text ahead of time. This feature works in conversations with other iMessage users and in both individual and group chats, provided all participants use Apple devices. Messages can be scheduled up to 14 days in advance and will be sent even if your iPhone is offline. Scheduled messages appear at the bottom of a conversation, where you can edit the time, delete the message, or send it immediately by tapping “Edit.”

Tapback Reactions

Tapbacks, the small characters you use to respond to a message, have two key updates in iOS 18.

RCS (Rich Communication Services)

RCS is a new text message protocol replacing SMS and MMS, enhancing texts with Android users. It supports higher resolution photos and videos, larger file sizes, audio messages, cross-platform emoji reactions, real-time typing indicators, read receipts, and sending messages over Wi-Fi or cellular. However, iMessage remains the default for Apple-to-Apple conversations.

Math Notes

Math Notes can solve equations and perform conversions within Messages. Type an equation or conversion (e.g., “20 euros to dollars”) and add an equals sign for an immediate answer.

Link Card Update

Link cards in Messages now have colorful backgrounds that match the main image’s color, with customization options available via long press.

Image Playground

Image Playground lets you create images using text-based prompts directly in the Messages app, with styles like Animation, Illustration, and Sketch. All image generation is done on-device.

Messages via Satellite

This feature lets you send texts when you lack Wi-Fi or cellular connection by leveraging Apple’s satellite network. Available on the iPhone 14 and later, it supports both iMessage and SMS messages. Currently, Messages via satellite are free, with two years of free access included with an ‌iPhone 14‌ or later.

Smart Replies

Using Apple Intelligence, your ‌iPhone‌ can suggest Smart Reply options based on the message content. These suggestions appear at the top of the keyboard and can be sent with a tap.

Writing Tools

Writing Tools provide systemwide text input enhancements, including spelling and grammar checks, tone rewriting, summarizing text, and more. Accessible via a tap and drag gesture, these tools can proofread, rewrite, summarize, and more.

Notification Summaries

Apple Intelligence summarizes multiple notifications from the Messages app, allowing you to catch up at a glance.

Emoji Design Updates

Single emojis sent in iOS 18 appear larger for better detail. The emoji picker has also been updated with larger emojis and more space. Stickers and Memoji now have dedicated sections in the emoji picker and can be used like emojis.

Text Formatting and Effects

You can now add bold, italic, underline, or strikethrough formatting to your text messages by tapping the “A” icon above the keyboard. New animated text effects like Big, Small, Shake, Nod, Explode, Ripple, Bloom, and Jitter can be applied to text, words, phrases, emojis, or stickers.

Genmoji

Genmoji allows you to create custom emojis with text prompts, offering various options to choose from. These Genmojis behave like standard emojis and can be used similarly.

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