AI is coming to the iPhone and that’s no secret anymore. Apple has announced several AI features that will be coming to the iPhone 15 Pro and beyond this year. But, the WWDC event isn’t just about AI, as the company has also introduced some important privacy features that will come with iOS 18. This gives users even more control, with tools to manage who can see their apps, how contacts are shared, and how their iPhone connects to accessories. Here’s a look at 3 important privacy features that users will get with the next generation of iOS later this year.

iOS 18 will have 3 important privacy features

app lock

In iOS 18, Apple has introduced a significant privacy upgrade by allowing users to lock or hide any app on their home screen. The feature is inspired by the existing functionality in the Photos app, where users can hide private photos. Now, users can secure any app, making it invisible on the home screen and only accessible through a hidden apps folder or a section in Settings, both of which require authentication via Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.

This feature is especially useful in scenarios where you might need to share your device with others or show your screen without exposing sensitive apps like banking or messaging. In contrast, while Android offers app locking and hiding through third-party apps or specific manufacturer customizations, Apple’s system-wide implementation integrates seamlessly with its solid security framework, providing a more unified and user-friendly experience.

Selective contact sharing

Another leap forward in iOS 18 is refined control over how users share their contacts with apps. Previously, Apple users were faced with an all-or-nothing choice: give an app access to the entire contact list or none at all. With the new update, users can now choose which contacts to share, which mirrors the selective photo-sharing feature in the Photos app.

This granular control over contact sharing improves privacy by limiting the data shared with apps to only what is necessary. In comparison, Android users have enjoyed similar selective permissions for contacts and other data types for some time, but Apple’s implementation within iOS 18 has made the process much more streamlined.

Password App

There’s a major change in Apple’s approach to password management with the introduction of the standalone Passwords app in iOS 18. Previously integrated within the Settings app, the Keychain password manager is now a dedicated application, making it more accessible and user-friendly.

This change aligns Apple’s offering with popular third-party password managers like 1Password, but retains the benefit of deep integration within the Apple ecosystem. Users can now easily manage their stored passwords across all signed-in Apple devices, and even access them on Windows via the iCloud for Windows app. This dedicated app simplifies password management by providing a central hub for creating, saving, and retrieving passwords. Unlike Android, where users typically rely on Google’s password manager or third-party solutions, Apple’s built-in app offers a more convenient experience with the promise that password protection is accessible to all users without the need for external tools.