With iOS 19 on the horizon it's only natural that Apple fans start to get excited about all the new potential features, yet one game-changing Wi-Fi rumor has plenty of iPhone users feeling hyped, as it could save them time and stress when on the go.
It's safe to say that iOS 18 has been a bit of a mixed bag. A rocky launched filled with wildly unpopular changes to some of the iPhone's key features has been redeemed somewhat with a number of essential security updates, long-awaited returns, and killer new features like satellite messaging.
As with most things in the tech world though people are always looking ahead, and the impending release of iOS 19 should help people get over many of their grievances with the previous version.
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We've already had a few rumors of what could be coming to iPhones with the new version of iOS, but one particular feature has caught the eyes of many frequent travellers in particular.
What is the new Wi-Fi feature in iOS 19?
While it still remains a rumor at this point in time, speculation seems to suggest that iOS 19 will bring with it enhancements to captive Wi-Fi systems that will make using multiple Apple devices far more convenient.
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As reported by TechRadar, one simple upgrade could allow you to circumvent the captive portal process of additional devices within your own Apple ecosystem once you've logged in with the first.
If you're unsure what captive Wi-Fi is, it's the middle step that you're likely to encounter whenever you use public Wi-Fi in a hotel, restaurant, or on public transport, that requires you to enter personal information.
At the moment you have to fill out this form every time you connect to the Wi-Fi on a new device, making the process especially tedious if you're using your phone, laptop, and anything else at the same time.
Furthermore, most public Wi-Fi connections expire after a short period of time, meaning that you have to repeat the process over and over again on a long train journey or if you're staying in a hotel for multiple nights. However, with this new rumored feature you simply need to log in on one device and you'll be good to go.
What are people saying about this new feature?
It won't be that useful for everyone, and only people who both travel a lot and use multiple devices at the same time will even take notice of its effectiveness, but it has been well received by large parts of the Apple community.
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"Wi-Fi captive is a big one," writes one comment on a Reddit thread about the news, whereas another adds that "Wi-Fi captive is a very nice QoL add if you have multiple Apple devices."
As mentioned though, it's not just public transport that requires the use of a captive portal either, as it's also used in places like libraries and coffee shops, which are frequently used by students and any remote workers who want a break from their home office.
It still hasn't proven to be quite enough for some though, as one commenter proposes that they "would rather just have AI fill out the captive portal nonsense for me," yet with the tricky state that Apple Intelligence is in, you might have to wait a while for that to become an option.