Published on February 24th, 2025
Apple never fails to surprise the tech-savvy individuals with its new inventions. Once again, the smartphone tech giant has raised the bar for smartphone innovation with the updates on its new iOS 18.4 Beta release. The highlight of this new release is Priority Notifications. What about it you ask? It’s a feature powered by Apple Intelligence that will transform how iOS users manage their notifications. According to Apple, this feature will be an efficient solution for those who feel overwhelmed by a flood of notifications on their Lock Screen. Let’s discover what’s more.
Priority Notifications, What are they?
Previewed at WWDC 2024 in June during the launch of iOS 18 but wasn’t released, Priority Notifications is a feature that will aid iPhone users to cut through unwanted notifications and concentrate on what’s truly important. Instead of showing notifications in chronological order (the newest ones on top), Apple Intelligence will analyze the content of each notification and set its order accordingly. The crucial notifications will be displayed in a separate section of the lock screen to ensure users don’t miss out on important alerts.
According to 9to5Mac, this feature is driven by on-device AI processing. This means every user’s data will stay private and secure. While Apple Intelligence ought to do the heavy lifting, users can still choose to swipe up and check other alerts if they want to.
How to Turn on Priority Notifications?
By default, the Priority Notifications feature is off. To enable it, go to Settings, click on Notifications, click on Prioritize Notifications, and toggle it on. Once you turn this feature on, your device will start organizing notifications based on their importance. This will offer you a cleaner and more sorted Lock Screen experience.
Is anything Else New in iOS 18.4?
While Priority Notifications is the main highlight, iOS 18.4 Beta 1 will come with a plethora of interesting upgrades. It includes:
- Image Playground – Image Playground is an Apple Intelligence feature that allows users to create AI-generated images. In iOS 18.4 Beta 1, it will bring a Sketch style. This new update complements the existing Illustration and Animation styles giving users more artistic flexibility.
- Ambient Music – In the upcoming time, the Control Centre will have a new Ambient Music option. This feature will offer random sound selection across 4 categories – Chill, Sleep, Productivity, and Wellbeing.
- Extended Language Support – In the future, Apple Intelligence will support more languages and dialects, such as French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, English (India & Singapore), Portuguese, and Chinese.
- Small but Useful Updates
- New text for Genmoji in the emoji keyboard.
- New Library and Shows widget on the Home Screen.
- Addition of default Translation app.
- Option to set a desired language in Apple Maps
Experts’ Views on Priority Notifications
The news about Priority Notifications has already sent a wave of excitement among many tech publications. TechCrunch explains, “The feature aims to assist users in managing their notifications by prioritizing important alerts and minimizing distractions from less significant ones.”
One more tech publication, 9to5Mac, notes that this feature is a “significant step forward in notification management,” providing users with a smarter way to handle their alerts without compromising privacy.
Another expert praises this feature by saying, “Apple focuses on on-device AI processing which ensures user data remain secure while delivering personalized experiences.” This feature is a perfect example of how AI can improve usability without sacrificing privacy
A Glimpse into the Future
Apple’s commitment to integrating AI into its ecosystem continues to impress. With the rollout of Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro as part of visionOS 2.4 and the upcoming Apple News+ Food section for recipe enthusiasts, the tech giant is clearly doubling down on innovation.
Final Thoughts
iOS 18.4 is shaping up to be one of the most impactful updates yet, with Priority Notifications leading the charge. By leveraging Apple Intelligence, this feature not only simplifies notification management but also sets a new standard for user-centric design.
Whether you’re a productivity enthusiast, a creative professional, or simply someone who values a clutter-free Lock Screen, iOS 18.4 has something for everyone. The public release is expected in April, so mark your calendars and get ready to experience the future of iPhone software.
