If you’re thinking of testing iOS 18.4 or watchOS 11.4 beta tests on older devices, don’t.
Apple has unsigned and removed watchOS 11.4 beta 1 for the Apple Watch Series 6, and has pulled iOS 18.4 beta 1 from the iPhone 12 and some select iPad models.
The company has pulled beta testing the next iOS and watchOS updates from testing on select models as of February 22 due to reports that the beta rendered the Apple Watch Series 6 inoperable. The first iOS 18.4 beta has allegedly caused boot looping for testers working with some iPhone 12 and iPad models.
Apple had just released the first developer betas for iOS 18.4 and other OSes the day before, on February 21. Beta testers reported the problems to a Reddit subforum devoted to Apple Watch beta testing.
It is too early in the testing process for a reliable list of what’s changed to be available, but it is believed that the watchOS beta issue only affects the Apple Watch Series 6, the oldest model that could run it. The Series 6 was originally released in September 2020.
The problem affects all four models of the Apple Watch Series 6: the GPS 40mm and 44mm, and the GPS + Cellular versions.
iOS 18.4 beta 1 also pulled for older models
In addition, Apple pulled the iOS 18.4 beta 1 update for testers using some iPhone 12 models, the cellular version of the eighth-generation iPad, both the Wi-Fi and cellular models of the fourth-gen iPad Air, and the M2-based 11- and 13-inch cellular versions of the sixth-generation iPad Air, which is the latest model.
Apart from the 2024 sixth-generation iPad Air models, all of the products having the beta unsigned by Apple were released in 2020. It’s unclear how soon Apple will be able to identify the flaws and release updated versions of the beta for testing.
It’s also unknown if Apple will also release a fix for testers whose Apple Watches or other devices were bricked or put into a boot loop by the faulty betas. If the company follows its usual procedure, it will re-release this first beta in a corrected form before moving to any later versions.
As always, betas of upcoming system updates should always be approached with caution by inexperienced testers. Backups of the devices should be made before any installation or testing of a beta release is attempted.
