iOS 18.4 Update Brings New Features to iPhone Photos App

Apple’s latest iOS 18.4 update brings a range of enhancements to iPhones, particularly in the Photos app and its Apple Intelligence suite. The update introduces improved organization tools, privacy features, and AI-powered functions, now available in more regions, including India.

Enhanced Filters in the Photos App

With iOS 18.4, Apple has added two new filtering options in the Photos app to improve photo organization:

• Shared with You: This filter lets users view all the photos that others have shared with them, making it easier to locate shared content.

• Not in an Album: This filter helps users identify images that haven’t been assigned to any album, allowing for better categorization.

These additions give users more control over how they browse and organize their image library.

New Album Sorting Option: Date Modification

Apple has introduced a new sorting method called “Sort by Date Modification” in the Albums section. With this, albums and folders are arranged based on the most recent changes. It complements the existing sorting options—Sort by Name and Custom Order—offering users flexibility in viewing their collections.

In addition, Apple has slightly renamed the album view options for clarity:

• “Grid” is now labeled “List View”

• “List” is renamed “Key Photo”

These changes improve usability without altering core functionality.

Improved Privacy: Hide Sensitive Albums

In a move toward stronger privacy control, iOS 18.4 allows users to hide two additional albums:

• Recently Viewed

• Recently Shared

These can now be hidden from view, similar to the pre-existing ‘Hidden’ Album, offering more discretion in photo management.

Customizable Media Types and Utilities

A new ‘Edit’ button in the Photos app now lets users reorder the Utilities and Media Types sections. This feature allows for a more personalized layout, helping users prioritize the tools and categories they access most often.

Apple Intelligence Comes to India: AI Features Now Available on iPhones

iOS 18.4 also marks the expansion of Apple Intelligence—Apple’s AI-powered suite of features—to iPhones in India. Here’s what’s included:

Writing Tools

Apple’s built-in Writing Tools now assist users in rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text across different apps. It supports grammar correction and even tone adjustments, enhancing productivity and communication.

AI-Powered Features in the Photos App

• Clean Up: Allows users to remove unwanted objects or people from photos while preserving image integrity.

• Smart Search: Enables searching for specific moments in photos and videos using natural language descriptions.

• Memories: Helps users create curated memory movies by selecting relevant photos and videos based on a text prompt or storyline.

Creative Tools

• Image Playground: Users can create AI-generated images based on themes or settings in styles like animation, illustration, or sketch.

• Genmoji: A unique tool that lets users generate personalized emojis based on their preferences.

• Image Wand in Notes: Converts rough sketches into polished visuals and generates images based on the text in notes.

Smarter Productivity

• Priority Messages in Mail: Highlights key emails at the top of the inbox and allows viewing summaries without opening the full message.

• Priority Notifications: Helps users focus on essential alerts by condensing long notifications and flagging urgent ones.

• Audio Transcription and Summarization: Automatically records, transcribes, and summarizes audio content in Notes and Phone apps—ideal for meetings and calls.

Siri and ChatGPT Integration

Siri is now more conversational and context-aware, offering a seamless voice and text interface. With ChatGPT integration, Siri and Writing Tools can deliver more detailed answers and creative outputs, including images.

Visual Intelligence and Real-World Recognition

Apple Intelligence also introduces Visual Look-Up, a tool that identifies objects, translates text, and creates events from flyers or posters using the iPhone camera.