Apple’s new iOS 18 feature for apps has users worried it will allow people to easily ‘cheat’
Apple announced the new features for the upcoming iOS 18, and some are worried that it will allow their partners to cheat easily.
Users will soon be allowed to lock and hide apps on their iPhones’ home screen once the new update debuts in the US this fall, the company announced following The Worldwide Developers Conference at Apple Park in California on Monday.
The company shared that the feature is meant to help people keep their banking apps private and prevent kids from accessing certain apps like Amazon so they don’t make wild, unsupervised purchases.
“Users can now lock an app, and for additional privacy, they can hide an app, moving it to a locked, hidden apps folder,” the company shared.
“When an app is locked or hidden, content like messages or emails inside the app is hidden from search, notifications, and other places across the system.”
However, not everyone shares Apple’s vision, and some are concerned that it will allow their significant others the opportunity to cheat.
It’s already easy to hide apps on the iPhone by disabling the ability to search for them in Siri Suggestions or burying them deep in a folder, but iOS 18’s new feature adds another layer of protection for those who choose to be unfaithful.
But, the new feature of hidden apps allows the user to obscure the app’s icon and name on the home screen and even pause notifications.
“Locked and hidden apps offer users peace of mind that information they want to keep private, such as app notifications and content, will not inadvertently be seen by others,” Apple said Monday.
“Users can now lock an app; and for additional privacy, they can hide an app, moving it to a locked, hidden apps folder.”
However, creating a “Hidden App” folder will display as such on the home screen.
Apple users can also lock apps already programmed into their phones, such as Mail, Messages, Notes, Phone, Photos, and Safari.
Those apps can be set only to be opened with a Face ID.
The new feature immediately garnered interesting reactions on X following Monday’s announcement.
“iOS 18 and new iPhones are gonna make these birds cheat like a mf…this is crazy. Relationships are dead,” one X user posted.
“i just know ios 18 is gonna help people cheat,” wrote another.
“IOS 18 trying to convert diehard android men who cheat to iPhones,” another joked.
Included in the new iOS 18 update, Apple also announced that users will be able to customize their home screen for the iPhone, which allows you to rearrange icons as you want them to appear — unlike the current grid system that the company has been using since the release of the first iPhone in 2007.
Users can also change the color of your apps’ icons to their liking.
The tech juggernaut also shared that the update will include Apple Intelligence, a new AI-powered system that responds to prompts, creates new text and images, and solves problems for its users.
Apple Intelligence will feature a Rewrite tool that users can use to help them reword tricky messages. The tool can be adjusted to sound friendly, professional, or concise depending on the users’ message.
“With ChatGPT from OpenAI integrated into Siri and Writing Tools, you get even more expertise when it might be helpful for you — no need to jump between tools,” the company shared.
As for images, “Apple Intelligence enables delightful new ways to express yourself visually. Create fun, original images and brand-new Genmoji that are truly personal to you.”
“Turn a rough sketch into a related image that complements your notes with Image Wand. And make a custom memory movie based on the description you provide.”
