Alright, let’s talk about iOS 18 and how Apple just changed the email game. With Apple holding 45% of the market share for smartphones, this update will impact your engagement rates if you’re running email marketing for a B2C brand. So, let’s break it down, no fluff, just what you need to know.

What’s Changing?

1️⃣ Apple is Sorting Your Emails (and Not in a Fun Way)

Apple Mail now auto-sorts emails into four tabs:

  • Primary (personal messages—aka, the inbox everyone checks)
  • Transactions (receipts, shipping updates, etc.)
  • Updates (newsletters, social notifications, etc.)
  • Promotions (marketing emails, which means us)

📌 Takeaway: If you’re sending promotional emails, they’re likely landing in the ‘Promotions’ tab. Expect lower visibility unless you’re bringing real value.

2️⃣ AI is Writing Your Email Summaries Now

Instead of seeing your carefully crafted preheader text, users will see an AI-generated summary of your email. If your message isn’t crystal clear upfront, Apple’s AI might butcher it.

📌 Takeaway: Your first few lines matter more than ever. Don’t rely on fancy preheaders—make your opening punchy, clear, and valuable.

3️⃣ Emails from the Same Brand Get Bundled

Apple is grouping emails from the same sender into a single ‘digest view.’ That means if you send multiple emails, your newest one is front and center, while older ones get buried.

📌 Takeaway: Every email needs to stand on its own. No more “part one” and “part two” strategies.

4️⃣ Branded Mail (A Win for Visibility)

Apple is rolling out a verified brand logo next to your emails. This makes your messages stand out in the inbox and builds trust.

📌 Takeaway: If you haven’t set up Branded Mail, do it yesterday. It’s one of the few wins in this update.

How to Adapt & Stay Ahead

✅ Make Your Subject Lines & First Lines Work Harder – If Apple’s AI is summarizing your email, you need to make sure it grabs attention and actually sells the open.

✅ Go Beyond “Salesy” Emails – If your emails scream “PROMO CODE INSIDE!!!” with no real substance, good luck. You need personalization, relevance, and actual value.

✅ Set Up Branded Mail – Seriously, this is free trust-building. Get your logo in there.

✅ Test, Test, Test – Open rates are going to shift. Keep a close eye on performance and tweak your strategy accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Apple’s making email smarter—which means lazy marketing is about to take a hit. The brands that adapt and focus on real engagement, trust, and value will still win. The ones that don’t? Well… expect some tough numbers ahead.

If you want to talk about how to tweak your email strategy for this update, let’s chat. Otherwise, let’s get back to making great emails that people actually want to open. 🚀