iPhone users SLAM the iOS 18.2 update - as one vents Apple has made the Mail app 'nearly unusable'
After months of anticipation, Apple finally released its iOS 18.2 update in the UK this week.
The software update includes several exciting AI features, including custom Genmoji, a new visual intelligence experience, and ChatGPT access in Siri.
While many iPhone users rushed to download, it seems that some are now regretting their decision.
Dozens of users have flocked to X (formerly Twitter) to vent their frustrations at the redesigned Mail app.
In iOS 18.2, Mail features new Categories at the top of the inbox, which appear to have thrown many users.
Taking to X, one user wrote: 'On no, the new mail app in 18.2 for iPhone is really bad and redesigned. Do. Not. Want.'
Another added: 'Wow! The new Mail app in iOS 18.2 has a ton of features that literally no one ever asked for and make my inbox nearly unusable. Great job!'
And one vented: 'The new iOS 18.2 mail app is absolutely horrendous. Whoever approved of this change should be fired immediately.'
Dozens of users have flocked to X (formerly Twitter ) to vent their frustrations at the redesigned Mail app
Apple has included four new Categories for your emails - Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions
One user vented: 'Wow! The new Mail app in iOS 18.2 has a ton of features that literally no one ever asked for and make my inbox nearly unusable. Great job!'
iOS 18.2 includes several changes to the Mail app, including Priority Messages.
'Priority Messages, a new section at the top of the inbox in Mail, shows the most urgent emails, like a same-day invitation to lunch or a boarding pass,' Apple explained in a newsroom post.
'Across their inbox, users can see summaries without needing to open a message, and for long threads, they can tap or click Summarise to view pertinent details.'
Apple has also included four new Categories for your emails - Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions.
By default, you'll only see emails categorised as 'Primary' listed with a red dot if they're unread.
Apple claims that these new tools will help iPhone users to 'get things done faster and easier than ever before'.
However, many users have been left unimpressed at these changes.
'What are these stupid little images that Apple has added to the mail app in iOS 18.2?' one user tweeted.
One user vented: 'The new iOS 18.2 mail app is absolutely horrendous. Whoever approved of this change should be fired immediately'
Taking to X, one user wrote: 'On no, the new mail app in 18.2 for iPhone is really bad and redesigned. Do. Not. Want'
'What are these stupid little images that Apple has added to the mail app in iOS 18.2?' one user tweeted
'They literally do and bring nothing to the app.'
Another added: 'Hey Apple make Mail boring again like it was before, we didn't need this kind of innovation in iOS 18.2!'
And one tweeted: 'The iOS 18.2 Mail "redesign" is very disappointing. This was Apple's chance to fix all of the outdated issues.
'Now I have [to] hunt for unread emails as it's not clear anymore when you have a new email. Apple used to be so innovative, what the hell happened?'
If you've downloaded iOS 18.2 and aren't convinced by the new layout, thankfully there's an easy way to revert to the list view.
Simply open the Mail app on your iPhone, and tap the three dots in the top right corner.
Select 'List View' to remove the Categories from the top of your inbox.
Meanwhile, if you'd prefer to see all unread emails listed with the red dot, open the Settings app, then select Notifications.
Tap Mail, then select Customise Notifications at the bottom of the screen. Select All Unread Messages.
Apple Intelligence: The best features
Apple Intelligence is essentially a snazzy brand name for Apple's new-found focus on AI, triggered by the huge success of the ChatGPT.
Here's a look at some of the best features of Apple Intelligence, which comes to the UK via the new iOS 18.2 operating system.
ChatGPT-Siri integration
Surely the biggest part of Apple Intelligence is the integration of OpenAI's hugely popular chatbot ChatGPT with Siri, Apple's in-built virtual assistant.
With better 'language-understanding capabilities' enabled by ChatGPT, Siri will help you across multiple apps and 'accelerate everyday tasks', Apple said.
You'll be able to press and hold the side button to activate Siri as normal, but with ChatGPT behind it Siri will be able to 'answer thousands of questions about how to do something' that it couldn't before.
iOS 18 users will be asked before any questions are sent to ChatGPT, along with any documents or photos, and Siri then presents the answer
For example, you could say, 'Play that podcast that Jamie recommended' and Siri will locate and play the episode, without the user having to remember whether it was mentioned in a text or an email.
Or you could ask, 'When is mum's flight landing?' and Siri will find the flight details and cross-reference them with real-time flight tracking to give an arrival time.
AI-generated emoji
If you can never quite find the emoji you're looking for during chat conversations, Apple has the answer.
One of the more fun parts of Apple Intelligence is AI-generated emoji, which Apple has called 'Genmoji' (a mix of 'generated' and 'emoji').
In the Messages app, you can type a short description of the emoji you want – such as 'smiley relaxing wearing cucumbers' or 'squirrel DJ'.
AI-generated emoji: In the Messages app, users can type a short description (e.g. 'smiley relaxing wearing cucumbers') to get a unique emoji to send to someone
Similar to AI tools that just need a few words to create weird artworks, from that single prompt Genmoji returns an AI-generated approximation of what you had in mind.
If you don't like what the AI has made for you, there are a few back-up options for you to choose from.
Clean Up
Apple's Clean Up tool for the Photos app makes ultra-clean edits to photos – without any telltale signs that the snap has been tampered with in any way.
It lets users remove 'distracting objects' from the background of a photo – for example a photobomber in the background of a family snap.
Clean Up is very similar to Google's photo-editing technology 'Magic Eraser' for its Pixel phones, heavily promoted in Google adverts in recent years.
The new Clean Up tool in Apple's Photos app can identify and remove 'distracting objects' in the background of a photo
But the technology has been described by some as 'Orwellian' as it can distort reality and 'create a false memory'.
Referring to Clean Up, one commenter said it 'can be misused' because it 'makes deleting evidence easy'.
Image Playground
AI also powers a new image-generating tool called 'Image Playground', which is available on multiple apps, including Messages and Pages.
With Image Playground, users can create images in a few seconds, choosing from three styles – 'animation', 'illustration' and 'sketch'.
Image Playground allows users to create fun images in seconds, choosing from three styles - Animation, Illustration and Sketch
A promo image appears to show a photo of a person being turned into a video game-style 3D avatar wearing a spacesuit in the 'animation' setting.
Rather like Genmoji, this 'exciting' image creation tool will help iPhone owners 'communicate and express themselves in new ways', the company says.
Movie Memories
The vast media storage capabilities of an iPhone means its always tempting to look back through your photos and video for a burst of nostalgia.
Recognizing this, Apple has come up with 'Movie Memories', an AI tool that creates the perfect home movie to watch on your device.
By typing a short description – for example 'last summer in our garden' – the AI can search your media library and and arrange photos and clips into a movie 'with its own narrative arc'.
Movie Memories picks out the best photos and videos based on a user’s description and arranges it all into a movie with its own narrative arc
And as no movie is quite as good without a bit of music, you'll get song suggestions from Apple Music to match the memory.
Again, Apple stresses the privacy aspect of using an AI to search through your private life.
'As with all Apple Intelligence features, user photos and videos are kept private on device and are not shared with Apple or anyone else,' it says.
AI writing tools
Using AI to make your writing extra concise is not a new thing – for example Microsoft's Copilot AI is creating first drafts and suggesting edits in Word.
But now Apple is jumping on the bandwagon with its own AI-powered writing tools.
The tech will rewrite, proofread and summarize text on multiple apps, including Mail, Notes and Pages, as well as some third-party apps.
'Whether tidying up class notes, ensuring a blog post reads just right, or making sure an email is perfectly crafted, Writing Tools help users feel more confident in their writing,' the firm says.
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