Apple's staggered approach to releasing iOS 18 features has reportedly caused delays in the development of its successor, iOS 19. According to noted technology journalist Mark Gurman, the unusually feature-rich updates in iOS 18.1 and 18.2 have taken up engineering resources, leaving less time for the next generation operating system.
Writing on X, Gurman shared insights into Apple's internal challenges. He said: “I'm still hearing that the gradual feature rollout from iOS 18 to iOS 18.4 is leading to delays of some features planned for iOS 19. That will also lead to a long-term feature rollout in the next cycle. Engineers are.” continued to work on iOS 18 projects when they were normally already working on the next operating system.”
iOS 18 has been a major project for Apple, with its launch in September followed by substantial updates in the form of iOS 18.1 and 18.2. These releases introduced a range of new features, many of which focus on Apple Intelligence: Apple's answer to artificial intelligence integration.
Despite this progress, the rollout is not slowing down. Apple is reportedly preparing iOS 18.3 for an upcoming release and a major iOS 18.4 update slated for April 2024, 9To5Mac reported.
According to the publication, the intense focus on iOS 18 appears to have shifted priorities within Apple's development teams. Engineers who would normally be working on iOS 19 are still committed to completing iOS 18 projects. Gurman suggests this could result in a more gradual release cycle for iOS 19, with fewer key features than initially planned.
This potential downscaling may not come as a surprise given the demands of maintaining a full schedule for iOS 18, but it does raise questions about how Apple will balance innovation with its commitment to rolling out timely updates.
The first wave of AI capabilities debuted with iOS 18.1, while yesterday's release of iOS 18.2 brought even more advanced tools, further improving the user experience.
