Apple details India-focused features coming to eligible iPhones with iOS 18

Apple said the India-focused features will span across various functionalities including communication, language input, and significant updates to the Move to iOS app

Apple on July 2 announced a range of India-focused features set to be introduced in eligible iPhones with iOS 18. The US-based technology giant confirmed additional features and language support tailored for users in India with the upcoming platform update, which is scheduled for release later this year. According to Apple, these enhancements will span across various functionalities including communication, language input, and significant updates to the Move to iOS app.

Lock Screen customisation

Apple stated that users will have the ability to customise the time display on the lock screen with Indian numerals from 12 languages. These languages include Arabic, Arabic Indic, Bangla, Devanagari, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Kannada, Malayalam, Meitei, Odia, Ol Chiki, and Telugu.

 

Live Voicemail transcription

With iOS 18, iPhone users in India will gain access to Live Voicemail Transcription in Indian English. This feature allows users to set voicemail to answer an incoming call and prompt the caller to leave a message. The feature then displays the ongoing voicemail recording alongside real-time text transcription, with the option to pick up the call. Additionally, Apple is introducing Live Caller ID, smart call history search, phone keypad search, and an enhanced dialling experience for users in India.

Multilingual keyboard

Owners of iPhone 12 or newer models will be able to type phonetically with Latin characters in English and up to two additional Indian languages, offering a trilingual predictive typing experience. The multilingual keyboard support will be integrated across the operating system. If a user has multiple message threads in different languages, the keyboard will remember the script used in the previous conversation and switch accordingly. This feature will be available in English, Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.

Alphabetical keyboard layouts

Eligible iPhones will support alphabetical layouts for 11 Indian languages. With iOS 18, users will be able to type in Indian scripts directly, with keys arranged in alphabetical order. Vowel and conjunct keys on the layouts will change dynamically based on the user's input. This feature will be available in Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

Enhanced language search

Apple is adding support for select Indian languages for language search in iOS 18. This enhancement will enable users to find words using familiar spellings. If a word has different spellings in the same language, it can be looked up regardless of the variant used. Supported languages include Assamese, Bangla, Devanagari, and Gujarati.

Multilingual Siri

Apple's virtual assistant Siri will receive support for nine Indian languages alongside Indian English. Users will be able to interact with Siri by mixing English with a local language. Supported languages include Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.

Translate App

With iOS 18, Apple will extend support for Hindi in the Translate app, Safari web browser, and other translation features available on the operating system, including in applications such as Notes.