Apple has just dropped its latest update, iOS 18.4, and it’s packed with goodies that’ll make your iPhone, iPad, or Mac experience a little more fun and a lot more functional. Released on Monday, April 06, 2025, this update introduces eight quirky new emojis, expands Apple Intelligence features to more devices and languages, and sprinkles in some handy tools for everyday use. Whether you’re a fan of expressive texting or just love organizing your digital life, there’s something here for you. Let’s break it down.
Who doesn’t love a fresh batch of emojis? With iOS 18.4, Apple’s added eight new ones to the mix, and they’re as random as they are delightful. Picture this: a sleepy face with bags under its eyes (perfect for Monday mornings), a fingerprint for those detective vibes, a messy splatter, a serene harp, a leafless tree, a shovel, a root veggie, and even a flag for Sark – a tiny island you’ve probably never heard of. These little icons are ready to jazz up your messages.
There was a brief buzz on social media about emojis modeled after icons like Beyoncé or Rihanna, but sorry, folks – Sportskeeda debunked that rumor fast. For now, we’ll have to settle for the harp and the veggie.
Apple Vision Pro Gets Smarter
If you’re one of the lucky ones rocking an Apple Vision Pro, this update’s got your back. Apple Intelligence is rolling out in English for Vision Pro users, bringing some cool writing tools into the mix. You can now proofread, rewrite, or summarize text with ease, whip up messages from scratch using ChatGPT integration, and even design custom emojis with Genmoji.
But the real star? Image Playground. This app lets you turn ideas, descriptions, or even people from your photo library into unique, AI-generated images. Feeling artsy? It’s your time to shine.
Apple Intelligence Goes Big
Apple’s not stopping there. The iOS 18.4 update spreads Apple Intelligence love to iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and Pro Max users. One standout feature is priority notifications – they pop up above the rest, ensuring you don’t miss that urgent text or email. Plus, Image Playground now offers a Sketch style, so you can create drawings that look like they came straight from your notebook.
Language support’s getting a boost too. Eight new languages – like French, Japanese, and Korean – are joining the party, along with two extra English locales. No matter where you are, Apple’s making sure you’re covered.
Foodies Rejoice with Apple News+
For those who love a good recipe (or just drooling over food pics), Apple News+ now has a searchable recipe catalog. You can save your favorites and follow step-by-step cooking instructions in a new cooking mode. The food section’s also dishing out restaurant stories and cooking tips – perfect for your next dinner party brag.
Photos App Gets a Sorting Upgrade
Tired of a cluttered photo library? The updated Apple Photos app has your fix. New search and sort filters let you hide stuff that’s not in albums or synced from your Mac, reorder your media collections, and sort by date – oldest or newest first. You can even tweak album order based on modification dates and turn off “recently viewed” or “shared” sections if they’re cramping your style. Oh, and hidden photos? They stay out of sight during imports to your Mac or PC, as long as Face ID is enabled.
Safari, Setup, and Screen Time Tweaks
Safari’s getting a small but sweet upgrade with a “recent search” suggestion feature. It’s like a shortcut to jump back into whatever you were Googling last. Meanwhile, Setup Assistant is making life easier for parents by streamlining how they create kid-friendly accounts with sensible defaults. And for Screen Time fans, app limits now stick even if your kid tries the old uninstall-reinstall trick.
App Store, Podcasts, and Home Perks
Shopping for apps? The App Store now shows quick summaries of user reviews, so you can get the gist without diving deep. Downloads and updates can also be paused and resumed – no more starting from scratch. Over in Apple Podcasts, a new widget keeps your followed shows and episodes front and center. Music lovers can enjoy curated ambient playlists right from the control center, and Fitness+ collections are now library-ready. Even your robot vacuum can join the fun, with some models now controllable via the Home app.
Wrapping It Up
Apple’s iOS 18.4 update isn’t a total overhaul, but it’s a solid refresh that adds personality and practicality to your devices. From playful emojis to smarter tools and better organization, it’s clear Apple’s listening to what users want – well, mostly. No Beyoncé emoji yet, but we’ll take the shovel and call it a win. Ready to update? Dive in and see what clicks for you.
