Apple recently introduced the latest iOS 18 update at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) held last month. Following the announcement, the company has rolled out two developer betas over the past few weeks, introducing enhanced language support for various aspects of the operating system.
One of the key features of the iOS 18 update is the ability to customize the lock screen to display time in different numeral systems, with support for 12 languages. These languages include Arabic, Arabic Indic, Bangla, Devanagari, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Kannada, Malayalam, Meitei, Odia, Ol Chiki, and Telugu. This customization option allows users to personalize their lock screen according to their preferences.
Moreover, the keyboard on iOS has undergone significant updates with the latest update. Users can now enjoy trilingual predictive typing across the system, enabling them to see additional language scripts on the suggestion field and easily switch between them. This feature is particularly useful for users who communicate in multiple languages and need quick access to different scripts while typing. Additionally, users can input Latin text and receive suggestions in all three languages without the need to switch between them constantly.
In the Messages app, iOS 18 remembers the last language used in a particular thread, making it easier for users to maintain consistency in their conversations. The trilingual keyboard now supports English, Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu. Furthermore, Apple has introduced support for a Korean and English multiscript keyboard in iOS 18, catering to a wider range of language preferences among users.
The new language search feature in iOS 18 has been improved to allow users to search for different spellings of similar-sounding words in specific languages. For example, users can now search for variations like “?????” and “??????” in Hindi, enhancing the search functionality for non-English languages. This enhanced language search capability is currently available for Assamese, Bangla, Devanagari, and Gujarati.
Additionally, iOS 18 includes several other language-related updates, such as live voicemail transcription support in Indian English, Hindi language support in the translate app, Arabic language support in the live text feature, a new grammar engine for Hindi and Korean, and the ability to create contact posters using Indian languages and numerals.
Apple is set to release the public version of iOS 18 this fall, making these language-related features accessible to all users. However, it is important to note that the beta versions of iOS 18 may contain bugs and may not be suitable for installation on primary devices. As such, users are advised to exercise caution when considering updating to the beta versions of the operating system.
