• Siri now understands and responds in Hindi and Hinglish.
• Translate app and system-wide Hindi support.
• Multilingual keyboard supports English and two regional languages.
• Enhanced Live Voicemail transcription for Indian English accents.

Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 update, announced at WWDC 2024, brings a host of new features tailored for Indian users.

This major software update, set to launch this autumn, focuses on enhancing language support and improving user experience for the diverse Indian market.

For Apple, the focus on India has become even more crucial given so much of the iPhone’s manufacturing capabilities are now being shifted to the country away from China.

Also, Apple has seen a steady rise of its userbase in India which has prompted the Cupertino giant to take further steps in bolstering its market position.

“iPhone is now more competent, intelligent, and personal than ever with iOS 18. More customisation options, the largest makeover of the Photos app, new Mail inbox management capabilities, and much more are included in this significant upgrade,” according to a statement from Apple.

Enhanced Language Support

• iOS 18 significantly expands its linguistic capabilities, with Siri now able to converse in Hindi.
• The voice assistant can understand and respond to Hinglish commands, bridging the gap between English and Hindi speakers.
• Additionally, Siri gains multilingual support for nine more Indian languages, allowing users to mix English with Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.
• The Translate app now includes Hindi support, extending this functionality across the system, including Safari and Siri.
• Lock Screen Clock and Contact Poster features have been updated to support multiple regional alphabets and numerals, offering greater customisation options.

Alphabetical Keyboard Layouts

• The iOS 18 update will introduce a multilingual keyboard for iPhone 12 and later models.
• This feature allows users to type phonetically with Latin characters in English and up to two additional Indian languages, offering a trilingual predictive typing experience.
• Available in Messages, Notes, and other keyboard-accessible apps, it supports languages like English, Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.
• This feature currently supports English, Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu, and includes QuickPath and Emoji Prediction capabilities.
• Alphabetical keyboard layouts are now available for 11 Indian languages: Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

The update also introduces enhanced language search, allowing users to find words regardless of spelling variations.

Language Search, Translate App Integration, and Additional Features

• iOS 18 brings improvements to Live Voicemail transcription, now better equipped to understand Indian English accents.
• The Control Centre gains dual SIM control functionality, a particularly useful feature in the Indian market where dual SIM usage is common.
• Apple has also promised enhancements to the Move to iOS app, aiming to improve transfer speeds and reliability for users switching from Android devices.

iOS 18 Compatibility

These new features will be available on iPhone XR and later models, including the iPhone SE (2nd Gen) and iPhone SE 5G.

While the developer beta is already accessible, public beta testing is expected to commence this month, giving users an early glimpse of these India-specific enhancements.

FAQs

What new language capabilities does Siri have in iOS 18?

Siri can now converse in Hindi and understand Hinglish commands, along with multilingual support for nine additional Indian languages, bridging the gap between English and regional languages.

How does the new multilingual keyboard in iOS 18 work?

The multilingual keyboard allows users to set up two regional languages alongside English, intelligently switching based on the app and conversation context, supporting languages like Bangla, Gujarati, and Tamil.

What improvements have been made to the Translate app in iOS 18?

The Translate app now includes Hindi support and extends this functionality across the system, including Safari and Siri, enabling seamless translation capabilities for Indian users.

How does iOS 18 enhance the Live Voicemail transcription feature?

Live Voicemail transcription in iOS 18 has been improved to better understand Indian English accents, making voicemail messages more accurately transcribed for Indian users.

Which iPhone models will support the new features in iOS 18?

The new features in iOS 18 will be available on iPhone XR and later models, including the iPhone SE (2nd Gen) and iPhone SE 5G, ensuring a wide range of users can benefit from these updates.

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