The feature, which uses Apple Intelligence to highlight your most important notifications, is included in the latest iOS release candidate.
Apple is on the brink of launching one of its most exciting software updates yet: iOS 18.4. This latest update brings a slew of new features, headlined by the much-anticipated Priority Notifications, an AI-powered enhancement designed to ensure you never miss an important alert again. Packed with intelligent automation, expanded smart home compatibility, and improvements across Apple’s ecosystem, iOS 18.4 is shaping up to be a game-changer for iPhone users.
AI-Powered Priority Notifications: Never Miss What Matters
In an age where notifications flood our devices constantly, distinguishing between trivial alerts and genuinely important ones can be a challenge. That’s where Priority Notifications steps in. This AI-driven feature leverages machine learning to analyze incoming notifications and elevate the most critical ones, ensuring they remain prominent on your lock screen. Whether it’s an urgent work email, a message from a loved one, or an essential app alert, iOS 18.4 will intelligently sort and display notifications based on relevance and priority.
Apple introduced this feature in the iOS 18.4 release candidate—a near-final version of the update—rolled out earlier this week. As first reported by MacRumors, this new functionality is expected to offer a seamless way to manage notifications while reducing unnecessary distractions.
Matter-Compatible Robot Vacuum Support Expands Apple Home
Smart home enthusiasts have another reason to be excited. iOS 18.4 introduces support for Matter-compatible robotic vacuums, allowing users to integrate a broader range of smart cleaning devices into Apple Home. With this update, homeowners can control their robot vacuums effortlessly through the Home app or via Siri voice commands, enhancing convenience and automation.
Matter, the universal smart home standard backed by major tech companies, ensures seamless interoperability between different brands and ecosystems. With Apple expanding its support for more Matter-certified devices, iPhone users will enjoy a more connected and efficient smart home experience.
App Store Gets AI-Generated Review Summaries
Another AI-driven enhancement making its debut in iOS 18.4 is AI-generated review summaries on the App Store. This feature uses artificial intelligence to analyze and summarize user reviews, providing quick insights into an app’s strengths and weaknesses without needing to sift through countless individual reviews.
For users, this means a more efficient way to determine an app’s quality at a glance. For developers, it offers a streamlined way to showcase user feedback. Apple’s growing investment in AI-driven solutions continues to enhance the overall iPhone experience, making information more accessible and digestible.
Enhanced Shortcuts and Apple Intelligence Support
iOS 18.4 also brings new shortcut actions, enabling users to create more powerful and customized automation workflows. These updates further extend the capabilities of Apple’s Shortcuts app, allowing for smarter, time-saving automation tailored to individual needs.
Additionally, Apple Intelligence—Apple’s suite of AI-powered tools—will now receive expanded support on iPhone 15 Pro models. While details remain limited, this suggests improved AI-driven functionalities and optimizations for Apple’s latest flagship devices.
watchOS 11.4: Sleep Wake Up Alarm Breakthrough
Apple Watch users aren’t left out of the updates either. watchOS 11.4 introduces a crucial new feature: the ability to allow the Sleep Wake Up alarm to sound even when Silent Mode is enabled. This means you can keep your watch notifications muted while still ensuring you wake up on time—an especially useful addition for those who rely on their Apple Watch for sleep tracking.
Other Apple Ecosystem Updates: macOS, iPadOS, tvOS & visionOS
Alongside iOS 18.4, Apple has also released release candidates for multiple operating systems, including:
- iPadOS 18.4 – Bringing similar enhancements to iPads
- macOS 15.4 – Likely introducing refinements for Mac users
- tvOS 18.4 – Enhancing Apple TV’s user experience
- visionOS 2.4 – Refining the software for Apple Vision Pro
These updates further reinforce Apple’s commitment to seamless cross-device integration and user-friendly improvements across its entire product lineup.
When Will iOS 18.4 Officially Launch?
With the release candidate now available to developers and beta testers, the final version of iOS 18.4 is expected to roll out to the general public in April 2025. As always, users will be able to download the update for free via the Settings app under General > Software Update once it becomes officially available.
Final Thoughts
Apple’s iOS 18.4 update is shaping up to be a major milestone, introducing cutting-edge AI-powered enhancements, smart home integrations, and quality-of-life improvements across the Apple ecosystem. With Priority Notifications, AI-generated App Store review summaries, Matter robot vacuum support, and updates spanning multiple devices, this release is set to make iPhones, Apple Watches, and other Apple devices even smarter and more efficient.
As Apple continues to refine its AI-driven features, the future of iOS looks more intuitive than ever. Stay tuned for more updates as the official release date approaches!
