Apple is now rolling out iOS 18.1 beta 2 to developers, two weeks after it began iOS 18.1 beta testing. iOS 18.1 includes the first set of Apple Intelligence features, including a redesigned Siri, Writing Tools, and more.
Here’s everything you need to know about the current iOS 18 beta cycle…
iOS 18.1: Everything you need to know
iOS 18.1 beta 2 is available to developer beta testers with build number 22B5023e. There is no public beta available, and there’s no timetable for when that will change. Additionally, iOS 18.1 only available for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, the only two iPhone models that support Apple Intelligence.
Meanwhile, iPadOS 18.1 is available to any iPad with an M1 chip or newer, as those are the requirements to run Apple Intelligence on the iPad.
iOS 18.1 includes the first set of Apple Intelligence features, such as Writing Tools for rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text. Siri has also been completely redesigned and now supports the ability to type to Siri. There are new features in the Mail app, including messages summaries, priority sorting, and Smart Reply. iOS 18.1 also adds a new Reduce Interruptions Focus mode, which uses AI to surface only the notifications that might need immediate attention.
Finally, iOS 18.1 adds new AI-powered features to the Photos app, including natural language search, the ability to search in videos, and support for creating Memories on demand. There are a number of Apple Intelligence features not included in iOS 18.1, such as Genmoji, Image Playgrounds, and ChatGPT integration.
Apple is also continuing to beta test iOS 18.0 with developers and public beta users. Apple released iOS 18.0 beta 5 last week, bringing changes to the Photos app redesign and a new Distraction Control feature for Safari. These features currently aren’t available in iOS 18.1 and it remains to be seen whether today’s release of iOS 18.1 beta 2 changes that.
Spot any changes in today’s release of iOS 18.1 beta 2 or iPadOS 18.1 beta 2? Let us know in the comments below, on Twitter @9to5Mac, and on Threads @9to5Mac. Stay tuned for our full hands-on coverage with the new releases right here at 9to5Mac today and throughout the rest of the week.
Follow Chance: Threads, Twitter, Instagram, and Mastodon.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
