Earlier this week, we learned that Apple’s engineering teams, under the leadership of their head of software engineering, Craig Federighi, had paused the development of the company’s upcoming major software updates. This rare but significant move aims to enhance the quality and performance of all operating systems, including iOS 17 and iOS 18. This stands out as a critical strategy in the current technological landscape, yet it aligns with the goal of making iOS 18 the most ambitious update in recent years.
Generative AI has the potential to change everything
As Mark Gurman writes in his weekly newsletter, the upcoming iOS 18 is set to be much more than a simple update. From what we know, it is positioned as a crucial effort by Apple to keep pace with competitors like OpenAI and even Google in the field of generative artificial intelligence.
An advancement that is particularly vital given that the hardware of the iPhone 16 will not undergo significant changes, according to Gurman. Thus, iOS 18 becomes the focal point to drive sales of the new iPhone models planned for 2024.
The last time Apple temporarily paused development and took a similar measure to what we’ve seen this past week was in 2019 when it restructured its procedures due to quality issues and delays in features. This time, the focus is on ensuring that innovations in iOS 18 and macOS 15 are robust and reliable.
According to Gurman, it is highly unlikely that this pause will significantly impact the final software release date. More importantly, it reflects Apple’s commitment to quality, following the policy adopted by Federighi in 2019, known as “The Pact,” which emphasizes the importance of not allowing regressions in development and promptly correcting any errors found.
iOS 18 promises to be a revolutionary change, both in features and design, as well as in security and performance improvements. Apple’s leadership has described their upcoming operating systems as “ambitious and compelling,” highlighting the introduction of significant new features based on generative AI and designs.
However, iOS 18 is not just an update; it is a monumental project that reflects Apple’s vision to lead in the era of artificial intelligence. With a renewed focus on quality and performance, Apple is poised to deliver an update that could make history.
