Apple plans to add some cool new features to the Notes app in iOS 18

The report says that the new Notes app will have more capabilities with support for audio recording. The feature will be similar to the Voice Memos app but will be integrated into Notes. Users will be able to record, play, and save voice recordings from the Notes app and this should be available right away with the release of the first iOS 18 public beta. Users will be able to include descriptions to help add context to a note.

The UI of the Voice Memos app will be used for integrated voice recording in the new Notes app

With this feature, students will be able to record classes or lectures and add screenshots of the blackboard or add comments and have it appear in one note in the app. The audio of business meetings could also be captured along with a photo of the whiteboard. And again, this would all appear in a single note. Those traveling could make an audio recording of a guided tour and add images of the areas being mentioned. The new UI for the audio recording feature in Notes will look very much like the UI used on the Voice Recorder app

A pre-release version of the software refers to a new feature called “Math Notes” that will allow the new Notes app to access the native iOS calculator app. Information from the calculator can be integrated into the new Notes app and support mathematical notation. It is used in math, science, and engineering to represent “complex concepts.” And the inclusion of the new Notes app with “Math Notes” might be important enough to Apple to finally lead the tech giant to include (are you sitting down?) a native calculator app for the iPad!

The Notes app dates back to the Stone Age. Well, at least back to the original iPhone in 2007. Improvements have been made over the years and Apple is hoping that with the latest new additions, it can compete with the iOS version of Microsoft’s OneNote which already features in-app recording and the ability to solve mathematical equations.