Apple have announced that several changes are going to be made with their iOS 18 update. Apple has been experimenting with some changes and they are finally bringing some of them to the Messages app. Apple has put a focus on new formatting along with some updated effects. You also have satellite support, along with better texting.
Apple Hope to Compete with WhatsApp
Apple knows that it needs to compete with popular messaging apps, including WhatsApp. WhatsApp is currently ranked as being the eighth most downloaded app in America, due to the innovative features that it has to offer. In first, second and third place, you have X, YouTube and Netflix, respectively. Although these aren’t necessarily competitive to Apple, they do help to indicate user demand.
In an attempt to stay competitive, Apple has added a Send Later message feature to their platform. With this, you can schedule a message to be sent at a specific time. If you know that it’s someone’s birthday coming up, and you don’t want to forget about it, then you can schedule it so it is good to go. Scheduling a message, however, can only be done if you are messaging someone else who uses the Apple platform. It’s a great move for businesses who want to keep in touch with staff or send reminders about upcoming deadlines or events, but the fact that it’s not compatible with Android users is a bit of a drawback. According to Apple, you can send messages up to 14 days in advance. You can send them even when you are offline, so it works even if you don’t have a cellular or WiFi connection.
Updated Designs for Tapbacks
Another feature that Apple has been working hard to try and implement is tapbacks. A tapback is a feature that allows you to react to a particular message by long-pressing it. You don’t need to type out a huge response, but you can still acknowledge the message that the other person sent. When you take a look at the tapback reactions, you will notice that they now have way more color and that there is also a higher level of detail. You can also see who sent what in terms of a tapback reaction, a feature that WhatsApp is known for. This is especially useful when you are part of a group chat, or if you run a business group and want to see which employees are engaging in the conversation.
Along with the six responses that traditionally came with the platform, you also have the option of being able to choose any emoji from the tapback reaction. All you have to do is long hold and then swipe left. When you do this, you can then see the emoji picker. This helps to give people way more control over the responses they give, and it also helps people to communicate in a way that suits their style or the formality of the conversation. Features like this are more than welcome and could boost the popularity of the messaging app.