iOS 18.4 Beta 1: A First Look at What’s New

Apple has released iOS 18.4 Beta 1 to developers, offering a glimpse into the next iteration of its mobile operating system. This release is notable for its focus on expanding Apple Intelligence features, introducing new Control Center options, and making quality-of-life improvements. Let’s dive into the key changes and what you can expect from this beta.

Release Overview

iOS 18.4 Beta 1 arrived as a surprise Friday release, accompanied by updates for iPadOS 18.4, watchOS 11.4, macOS Sequoia 15.4, tvOS 18.4, and visionOS 2.4. The update size is substantial, clocking in at around 7.72 GB on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The build number is 22E5200s, indicating that we are still early in the beta cycle.

Key New Features and Changes

1. Expanded Apple Intelligence Availability

  • EU Support: iOS 18.4 Beta 1 marks the arrival of Apple Intelligence features for users in the European Union. This is a significant expansion, as EU users were previously excluded from these capabilities.
  • More Language Support: Apple Intelligence now supports French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese. Localized English support is also available for Singapore and India.

2. Prioritized Notifications

  • A new “Prioritize Notifications” feature, powered by Apple Intelligence, is now available in Settings > Notifications. This feature aims to surface the most important notifications on your lock screen, helping you catch up on what matters most.
  • The system uses on-device machine learning to determine notification importance.

3. Control Center Enhancements

  • Ambient Music Toggles: A new “Ambient Music” section has been added to the Control Center customization options. This allows you to add toggles for playing mood-based music (sleep, chill, productivity, well-being) directly from the Control Center.
  • Volume and Brightness Slider Changes: The volume and brightness sliders in Control Center now turn white when set to 0%.
  • Cellular Signal Indicator: The cellular toggle in Control Center now dynamically reflects your actual signal strength.
  • Improved Control Center Navigation: When adding controls, the Control Center now remembers your last scroll position or search query, making it easier to add multiple toggles.

4. Messages App Update

  • The Genmoji icon in the Messages app has been updated to include the full text “Genmoji” alongside the icon, making it more discoverable.

5. Image Playground - Sketch Style

  • The Image Playground app now includes a “Sketch” style option, joining the existing animation and illustration styles.

6. Apple News Plus Recipes

  • Apple News Plus subscribers can now access a dedicated food section with recipes, restaurant reviews, and kitchen tips. The recipe interface features a timer and step-by-step instructions.

7. Vision Pro App (Companion App for iPhone)

  • A new standalone Apple Vision Pro app is coming to iPhone with iOS 18.4. This app will allow users to queue app downloads, discover spatial content, and access device information. It will also enable a new guest mode for sharing Vision Pro experiences.

8. New Shortcuts Action

  • The Shortcuts app includes a new action for opening specific conversations in the Messages app.

9. Siri Voice Update (Australia)

  • The Australian Siri voice now has four options, up from two in iOS 18.3.

10. iPadOS 18.4: New Mail App UI

  • iPadOS 18.4 brings the new categorized mail UI (primary, transactions, updates, promotions) to the iPad.

11. Apple Pencil - Hover Double Tap

  • In Apple Pencil settings, there is a new option for hover that allows double tap with only hover or only with hover turn this on and then you can use double tap while you’re using hover specifically

Removed/Disabled Features

  • Advanced Data Protection (UK): Due to a conflict with UK government regulations, Apple has removed the Advanced Data Protection feature for users in the United Kingdom.

Known Issues and Bug Fixes

  • Apple Intelligence: There are known issues with Apple Intelligence, but workarounds are available.
  • Notifications: A bug causing notifications to flicker or collapse has been resolved.
  • Siri: There is a known issue where Siri suggestions may fail.
  • Wi-Fi Calling: Wi-Fi calling may not work for US Cellular customers. The workaround is to downgrade to iOS 18.3.
  • Writing Tools: There is a known issue with writing tools.

Performance and Battery Life

  • Initial performance reports indicate that iOS 18.4 Beta 1 may be less stable than iOS 18.3.1. Some users have reported stuttering and bugs in certain apps.
  • Battery life may also be slightly worse in this beta.

Should You Install iOS 18.4 Beta 1?

As with any beta software, it’s generally recommended to wait before installing unless you have a specific need for the new features or are involved in app development. The initial release may contain bugs and performance issues that could impact your daily usage. If you rely heavily on Wi-Fi calling with US Cellular, it’s best to avoid this beta until the issue is resolved.

Release Date Expectations

Given the Friday release of Beta 1, it’s likely that iOS 18.4 Beta 2 will be released in the week of March 3rd or the week of March 10th. The final release of iOS 18.4 is expected in April.

Conclusion

iOS 18.4 Beta 1 offers a promising preview of what’s to come, with a strong emphasis on expanding Apple Intelligence features and improving the user experience. While there are some known issues and potential performance concerns, this beta provides a glimpse into the future of iOS. Stay tuned for further updates and in-depth analysis as the beta cycle progresses.