For all the Apple Intelligence hype coming out of WWDC 2024, there was also the undeniable disappointment that only an iPhone with an A17 Pro chip or higher would support it. It's a true case of haves and have-nots. Still, in terms of pure usefulness, there is one change promised in iOS 18 that will come to all iPhones that support the platform update: a revamp of the Control Center.
Control Center is neither attractive nor tied to any particular, deeply integrated AI or machine learning capabilities of the iPhone. It is a tool to control, among other things, critical utilities and do it with a simple swipe down on the top right corner of your iPhone screen.
It's such a boring panel that it's practically devoid of color. Even the name “Control Panel” sounds like home infrastructure, not a nifty mobile feature. Of course, anyone who uses Control Center (essentially everyone with an iPhone) knows its importance. It's quick access to connectivity, media playback, brightness, audio, focus modes, mute functions, camera, Shazam and, perhaps most importantly, flashlight.
For quite a few versions of iOS, it has had some customization and depth. Long pressing most controls brings up more detailed settings. You can also add it to Control Center, if you know where to look.
iOS 18's Control Center will be redesigned and substantially more customizable. It will also feel much more like a destination.
A true utilitarian house
Apple gave us a sample during the nearly two-hour WWDC 2024 keynote, and even then, I could see how many changes were coming to the crucial iOS feature. Later, I took a closer look and saw the Control Center version of iOS 18 in action.
There are subtle design changes throughout Control Center and the icons within it, but they appear small enough to go almost unnoticed.
Perhaps the biggest change is that you can move Control Center icons within Control Center pages. In the demo I saw, they long-pressed the open Control Center panel and, after a moment, frames appeared around each item, with minus signs so you can delete them and an extra semicircle in the bottom right corner that you can use. to change the size of the search control. I think you can resize them all the way to your own full Control Center pages.
It's also easy to grab and move controls on a page or even to another page in Control Center. Unlike the new iOS 18 home page, there will still be a grid and the icons will move to fill empty spaces.
New Control Center gestures and friends
To access those pages, you can flip through them slowly or use a new continuous swipe to flip through them all. I'm not sure how useful it will be, but it looks like fun.
I especially like that Apple is finally making it easier to find and add new controls. When I want to add Screen Recording in iOS 17, I open Settings on my iPhone, find Control Center, and then select Screen Recording (or some other control to add).
In iOS 18, you'll be able to add new controls within Control Center, and you'll be able to find them the same way you move them by long-pressing on the Control Center screen until a small “Add a control” message appears at the bottom of the screen. That takes you to an extensive Gallery of Controls but also adds a search box, which will be an even easier way to find controls.
iOS 18 Control Center will also finally offer the ability to add third-party controls. Naturally, app developers have to create them, but imagine the possibilities. Your favorite app is available with just a swipe, next to the flashlight.
Apple is also expanding some of these options outside of Control Center. I saw how you can change and remove utility icons, like the camera and flashlight, from the lock screen (you might want the QR code reader). You could even remove them all for a completely clean look.
Of all this, and there are many changes to the Control Center, the most important news could be that it will reach all phones compatible with iOS 18. Apple Intelligence or a special, more powerful phone is not necessary. That means all iPhones dating back to iPhone 12 are getting the Control Center makeover.
It's a little balm to ease the pain of possibly not getting in on that sweet Apple Intelligence action, right?
