At the opening session of its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced that iPhone users will soon have the ability to customize elements of their home screens with the upcoming iOS 18 software update. This includes the option to arrange app icons around a favorite wallpaper image or add colored tints to the icons on your screen. To make these selections, simply press and hold on the home screen while the icons and wallpaper will also have a new appearance in dark mode.
In addition to this, changes to the iPhone’s Control Center will allow users to swap out features like the flashlight button on the lock screen for something else. Developers can now include controls from their apps in the Control Center, making it more extensible. This was demonstrated during the WWDC presentation with a control from automaker Ford that can adjust the air conditioning in their car.
The level of customization offered by iOS 18 has caught the attention of many tech enthusiasts, with some jokingly comparing it to features found on Android devices. Some users expressed love and hate for these increased customization options on iPhones while others even suggested that these new features could potentially attract Android users to iPhones. Despite Android traditionally being touted as more innovative and easier to customize compared to iPhones, recent iPhone models have led some users to shift their preference towards Apple products. In 2022, iPhone users surpassed Android users for the first time in the United States after years of Android devices being more popular among consumers.