A new Apple feature coming to iPhones with iOS 18 has some people in relationships doing a double take.
On Monday, June 10, the company showed off a number of new features in its latest software update, iOS 18. During the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in California, Apple revealed that its “largest update yet” will allow Users customize their home screen. with new colors, react to iMessages with more emojis, schedule text messages to send later, and create new “Genmojis” using generative AI technology.
However, an update coming to iOS 18 has some Apple users less excited. On Monday, the company also revealed that iPhones with iOS 18 will be able to hide certain apps and lock them behind Face ID, so that no one sharing the phone can access them.
A video posted on X, formerly Twitter, demonstrated how iPhone users will be able to lock their apps using facial recognition. In the clip, which has more than 1.3 million views, a person's Photos app was locked with Face ID. Instead, the text above the screen said: “Face ID is required to open Photos.”
Unsurprisingly, the launch of the new feature sparked some worried reactions among people in relationships, especially those worried about infidelity. With the Face ID feature, some iPhone users are likely to use the new tool to hide harmful conversations with people outside their relationship on apps like Tinder, Hinge, Grindr, or even Instagram.
“Oops. Apple is breaking up some couples,” wrote one X user in response to the Face ID feature.
“Cheaters everywhere are celebrating,” another person joked.
“Apple is just innovating random things to help these dusty men,” a third user wrote.
In addition to the Face ID feature, perhaps the biggest update coming to iOS 18 is Apple's new artificial intelligence technology, called “Apple Intelligence.” The tools are a “personal intelligence system for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that combines the power of generative models with personal context to deliver incredibly useful and relevant intelligence,” the company said in announcing the feature.
Using the AI tool, iPhones will be able to communicate with ChatGPT and create images using generative AI. However, Apple Intelligence will only be available on the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro Max, the company said.
The developer beta of Apple's iOS 18 update is currently available. It can be downloaded by heading to the Settings app on a device and opting for the beta version, although it may have some bugs, such as reduced performance or data loss. Apple advises people to back up their devices before downloading it.
The public beta version of the software will be available in July, according to Apple, followed by the full update in late 2024.
