Apple iOS 18: iPad to get calculator app after 14 years plus 6 other announcements you may have missed

• iPad to finally get a calculator app after 14 long years.
• Apple Watch to get Vitals app with improved health insights.
• Photos app to get major redesign with iOS 18.
• iPhone users will be able to ‘lock’ apps in privacy update.

After more than a decade of demands, Apple is finally set to bring a much-needed update to iPads. 

The tech giant’s long-awaited venture into the world of AI took up much of the headlines from the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC24) keynote speech. But Apple announced far more than just custom emojis and ChatGPT integration into Siri - and it includes plenty of blockbuster features for iPhones and its other products. 

One of the biggest bombshells was the reveal of a calculator app for iPads, coming with the launch of iPadOS 18 later this year. Apple Watch will also get a major update for those who use it to track their health.  

Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering said: “We are thrilled to introduce iOS 18. It is a huge release with incredible features, including new levels of customisation and capability, a redesigned Photos app, and powerful ways to stay connected with Messages. There are so many benefits for everyone.” 

Calculator is finally coming to iPad 

iPad to finally get calculator app with iPadOS18. Photo by Apple | Apple

A much demanded (and oddly long omitted) feature is finally coming to iPads - the calculator app. It received one of the biggest cheers of the day during Apple’s keynote speech. 

The announcement of the app itself was quickly overshadowed by the reveal of the Math Notes feature, which is compatible with Apple Pencil and will solve mathematical problems with artificial intelligence. 

But don’t let it be forgotten that after 14 long years, Apple is finally bringing a calculator to iPads. It might sound like one of those facts that couldn’t possibly be true, especially when iPhones have one, but for the first time since the iPad debuted in 2010 it will have a calculator with the launch of iPadOS 18. 

Photos app gets redesign 

Apple announced its ‘biggest-ever’ redesign of the Photos app is coming with iOS 18. When opening the app after the update, users will be presented with a single, simplified grid display and new collections which will enable you to  browse by themes without having to organise content into albums.

iPhone gets more customisation 

With the launch of iOS 18 later in the year, users will have new ways to customise the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Control Center. Apps and widgets can be arranged in any open space on the Home Screen, including placing them right above the dock for easy access or perfectly framing a wallpaper. 

App icons and widgets can take on a new look with a dark or tinted effect, and users can make them appear larger to create the experience that is perfect for them.Apple has also announced that with the software update, users will be able to add controls from supported third-party apps into Control Center to quickly unlock a vehicle or jump right into capturing content for social media. 

Satellite capabilities coming to Messages 

iPhone will expand its satellite capabilities from just emergency SOS to messages - so you can still send texts when cellular and Wi-Fi connections aren’t available. Messages via satellite automatically prompts users to connect to their nearest satellite right from the Messages app to send and receive texts, emoji, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS.3. 

Apple also promises that with Dynamic Island, users always know when they are connected to a satellite. 

Messages via satellite allows users to send and receive texts, emoji, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS when a cellular or Wi-Fi connection is not available. Photo by Apple | Apple

New privacy features for apps 

For iPhone users worried about privacy, Apple will introduce new features that will enable them to lock apps, notifications and content to avoid details being inadvertently seen by others. After the launch of iOS 18, users will also have the ability to hide an app, moving it to a locked, hidden apps folder. When an app is locked or hidden, content like messages or emails inside the app are hidden from search, notifications, and other places across the system.

InSight to launch on Apple TV 

Apple will soon be offering its own take on Prime Video’s X-Ray vision with the launch of InSight. It displays timely information about actors, characters, and music from Apple TV+ movies and shows onscreen in real time.

Users can simply select an actor to view their background and filmography page, or quickly view the song that is playing in a scene and add it to an Apple Music playlist. Viewers can also see InSight information on their iPhone when using it as an Apple TV remote.

Apple Watch to get new Vitals app 

During the WWDC24 keynote speech, Apple didn’t forget to include its mega-popular watches. For those who use the Apple Watch for fitness and health insights, a brand new Vitals app is set to launch with watchOS 11. 

Apple Watch already allows wearers to measure important health metrics during sleep: heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, sleep duration, and blood oxygen. But with the Vitals app, this will be taken to the next level by giving users a way to quickly view these key health metrics and gain better context when it comes to their health. 

Which new iOS 18/ iPadOS 18/ watchOS 11 feature are you most excited for? If you are wanting to learn more about the flagship Apple Intelligence announcements, major tech reviewer Marques Brownlee has offered his thoughts on the WWDC24 speech on his YouTube channel.