IOS 18's phased feature release will cause iOS 19 features to be delayed Due to Engineer Constraints

Historically, major updates for iOS were released in one go during annual system updates, with subsequent versions focusing on improvements and the introduction of some minor features. Upon the release of a new version, the iOS engineering team would typically shift their focus to the development of the next iteration.

However, a shift occurred with iOS 18: the initial release offered fewer new features, with significant functions such as AI-related enhancements being rolled out in stages with iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2.

This approach has resulted in the iOS engineering team being tied up with iOS 18, preventing a full pivot to iOS 19 development. Considering the traditional timeline, the developer preview of iOS 19 is expected by June 2025, putting a strain on the engineers' schedules.

According to Bloomberg's editor Mark Gurman, the phased release of features from iOS 18 to iOS 18.4 is set to postpone some of the new functionalities planned for iOS 19. This will likely result in a gradual rollout of new features in the next cycle as well.

Apple's current focus is predominantly on Apple Intelligence, or AI features. The latest iOS 18.2 release introduced Genmoji, photo generation, ChatGPT integration, and enhancements to Siri.

With iOS 18.3 and iOS 18.4 on the horizon, these versions are expected to continue introducing AI-related features. While phased development and deployment can maintain user interest with fresh updates, it might disrupt the traditional iOS update schedule.

Thus, unless circumstances change, the release of iOS 19 may continue this trend of phased development and deployment, rather than introducing all features at once in the official version.