Bloomberg: Hardly any new features planned for the iPhone 16, iOS 18 set to be a huge update, app sideloading to start in 2024

According to the latest information published by Bloomberg editor Mark Gurman, iOS 18 will be an unusually large update for the iPhone. This is because Apple is expected to catch up with Google in regard to the use of AI-driven functions. Inside the company, Apple's management is said to be describing iOS 18 as "ambitious" and "groundbreaking".

Gurman is yet to provide specific details about iOS 18, apart from the fact that Apple is reportedly revising the design and improving the performance and security of the operating system. Bug fixes are also a priority, for which Apple recently put the development of new features on hold for around a week in order to fix certain bugs. According to the Bloomberg report, this comparatively large iOS update is particularly significant for Apple as the iPhone 16 series is not set to receive any significant upgrades. According to rumors, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will at least have slightly larger displays and a 48 MP ultra-wide-angle camera.

Gurman has also confirmed rumors about App Store alternatives. Thanks to the European Union's Digital Markets Act, European iPhone users should have access to third-party app stores as early as the first half of 2024. However, this will not make sideloading on iOS as easy as on Android - Apple is said to be developing a "strictly contained system" that will allow apps to be installed from sources outside the App Store under certain conditions. iMessages and contactless payments will also be opened up to third-party providers more broadly than before.