Phone users will be able to customize the color of each app icon in iOS 18

2 min readUpdated Jun 4, 2025May 27, 20248:33 AM

iOS 18 Release date generative AI other new features and compatible iPhones

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We are getting closer to the June 10th Keynote at WWDC 2024 during which Apple will preview its AI initiative. Today, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman revealed some more details about what we should expect from Apple in his latest Power On newsletter. Gurman says that Apple is calling part of its new AI strategy Project Greymatter which encompasses AI tools that will be added to core system apps such as Notes, Photos, and Safari and also includes enhanced notifications.

As previously discussed, Apple would prefer to have AI features run on-device for speedier results and to protect users’ privacy. More complex tasks will run through the cloud and get worked on by data center servers powered by the M2 Ultra chip. The goal here is to create AI features that will make life a little easier for iPhone users. One new feature in the works will allow a user’s iPhone to create custom emoji based on what the user is texting. This will allow the iPhone user to have a custom emoji ready at his fingertips for any situation in addition to the regular lineup of emojis.

If that doesn’t excite you, perhaps this will. Apple will allow iPhone users to not only change the color of app icons but also (better be sitting down) put them wherever they want on the screen. You’ll be able to quickly find all your social media apps if you make them a certain color, find all of your health-related apps, which you can make another color, etc.

Another cool AI feature, one that I’m looking forward to seeing, adds AI-created summaries of notifications, messages, websites, news articles, and more. Additionally, users will be able to have more natural-sounding conversations with Siri as the virtual digital assistant receives a long-needed upgrade. The version of Siri that lives on the Apple Watch will also be very much improved to handle tasks and queries while on the go.

The soon-to-be-formed partnership between OpenAI and Apple, which will bring the ChatGPT generative AI chatbot to iOS 18, will also be acknowledged at WWDC as Apple doesn’t want to appear that it is out of the loop during the year of AI. Apple’s own in-house chatbot is said to fall short of ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini which is why the company has been meeting with OpenAI and Google. Even though the latest word is that Apple and OpenAI are close to a deal, Apple still plans on inking one with Google as well just in case OpenAI’s controversial CEO Sam Altman does something, well, controversial.

Back in January, Gurman said that the iOS 18 update will be one of the biggest updates in iOS history. Now, we are approximately two weeks away from what could be quite an exciting day for iPhone users.

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Questions & Answers

What is Project Greymatter and what does it include?

Project Greymatter is part of Apple's new AI strategy. It encompasses AI tools for core system apps like Notes, Photos, and Safari, and also includes enhanced notifications. This initiative aims to make life easier for iPhone users.

How will Apple handle more complex AI tasks, given its focus on on-device processing?

For more complex tasks, Apple will run AI features through the cloud. These tasks will be processed by data center servers powered by the M2 Ultra chip, ensuring necessary computational power for demanding operations.

Which external AI chatbot partnership is Apple planning for iOS 18?

Apple is planning a partnership with OpenAI to bring the ChatGPT generative AI chatbot to iOS 18. The company is also reportedly planning a deal with Google, possibly as a backup option.

What improvements are expected for Siri on both the iPhone and Apple Watch?

Siri is set to receive a long-needed upgrade, allowing for more natural-sounding conversations. The version of Siri on the Apple Watch will also be much improved to handle tasks and queries while on the go.

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