Today, Apple caught iPhone users off guard by launching the iOS 18.4 update sooner than anticipated. The company had initially indicated a release in early April, but the update is now available and introduces several new features for the iPhone 15 Pro models and the iPhone 16 lineup. Among the significant enhancements in iOS 18.4 is the introduction of Priority Notifications.

This feature leverages Apple Intelligence to filter messages, ensuring that users are alerted to the most important ones. Additionally, a new style in the Image Playground, named Sketch, has been added. Apple Intelligence is expanding as well, now supporting eight new languages, including French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Simplified Chinese, and Spanish, along with localized English for India and Singapore.

The update also introduces a variety of new emojis, including one depicting a smiley with bags under its eyes. For Apple Vision Pro users, the updated iPhone will automatically download a compatible companion app. Notable improvements have been made to the Photos app, allowing users new ways to organize items, apply filters in the Library view, and utilize sorting options.

It’s important to note that hidden photos cannot be imported to Mac or PC if Face ID is activated. For News+ subscribers, the update adds a new Food section featuring stories about restaurants, kitchen tips, and a Recipe Catalog with a save option. Safari’s recent search suggestions have been refined, making it easier to revisit previous topics while searching for new ones.

The setup for child accounts has also been streamlined, with a more user-friendly default setting if parents choose to complete the setup later. Another helpful change is that Screen Time limits cannot be reset even if apps are uninstalled and reinstalled, a feature that should assist parents in managing app use. Users can also pause app downloads and resume them later without losing progress.

Furthermore, the Control Center now allows for Ambient Music, and Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners can be controlled through the Home app. A new Podcasts widget has been added, as well as the ability to include Apple Fitness+ collections in the Library. Eligible iPhone users can update their devices by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update.

Additionally, Apple has released iPadOS 18.4 and macOS Sequoia 15.4 today.