iPhone’s new iOS 18 makes better use of the camera’s flashlight

Apple’s iOS 18 was announced and shown off Monday at the company’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference but it didn’t show one neat thing iPhones will be able to do when it launches later this year. And that’s adjust the radius and the intensity of the light itself.

This may sound like a frilly thing, but if you’ve ever gone outside after dark to call to a small pet and bring him in (raises hand) it’s quite useful. iOS 18 will let users widen the beam with horizontal slide, or tighten and intensify its light with a vertical swipe. See for yourself.

Flashlight is revamped in iOS 18!
-It has a smooth satisfying on/off animation
-You can adjust both it’s width and intensity
So cool! pic.twitter.com/5RXMlT8L9s

— ian (@iam_tech) June 10, 2024

Additionally, when the flashlight is activated (whether from the Control Center or the lock screen) the new UI (with the controls) will drop down from iOS’s “Dynamic Island.”

the action button animation for the flashlight in iOS 18 is absurd pic.twitter.com/RfV6X4RiNQ

— Ostyn Hyss (@ostynhyss) June 10, 2024

The new capability apparently takes advantage of the more sophisticated flash/flashlight that began with iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models launched in 2022. That device’s adaptive flash uses “an array of nine LEDs that change pattern based on the chosen focal length.” Useful for taking high-quality pictures, Apple developers have adapted those capabilities to turn the phone into a better flashlight.

What iPhone models support iOS 18?

iOS 18 will also allow users to customize the buttons on their locked screens, another useful change that can prevent fumble-fingered iPhone owners from butt-activating the flashlight and having it shine through their pants, though that is always a hilarious mishap.

In any case, we’re a long ways away from the old days when we turned on our phones and simply used the home screen light to see our way to the fridge for a midnight snack or back to the bedroom without waking others in the house.

iOS 18 is currently in a beta preview and is expected to fully launch sometime in September. iOS 18 supported phones are: