Apple has just released new public betas for its various software platforms, including macOS Sequoia 15.4, iPadOS 18.4, tvOS 18.4, and more. Here are the new features to expect.
Installing Apple’s new public beta releases
To install the new software, you have to first be enrolled in Apple’s beta software program. It’s free to sign up at beta.apple.com.
If you’ve previously run public beta software, you should see today’s updates inside the Software Update section of your device’s Settings app.
Be mindful that since these are beta 1 updates for brand new software versions, you may encounter a fair share of bugs and performance issues on your devices.
What’s new in macOS 15.4, iPadOS 18.4, and more
There’s a lot packed into these first beta updates, including several features that exist across multiple platforms while some are device-exclusive.
Mail redesign: Apple Mail recently got a big redesign with inbox categorization on iPhone. Now, those same changes are available on the Mac and iPad in macOS 15.4 and iPadOS 18.4.
Proximity Pairing for Mac: With iOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4, you’ll be able to start using your iPhone to more quickly set up a new Mac—similar to the feature that already exists for iPhone and iPad.
Ambient Music on iPad: iPadOS 18.4 gains some great new controls for Control Center. There are four Ambient Music controls that can trigger playlists optimized for certain moods: Chill, Productivity, Sleep, and Wellbeing. You can choose from preset playlists or use your own.
Food section in Apple News: Also only on iPad (and iPhone), there’s a new food section available to Apple News+ subscribers in the News app. It offers tens of thousands of recipes you can cook with, guided by an elegant new in-app recipe flow.
Priority Notifications with AI: Similar to the feature in Apple Mail for messages, your notifications can now be automatically sorted into more important and ‘not so important.’ The alerts that Apple Intelligence deems most important will get surfaced at the top of your notification stack.
There are a variety of other changes in today’s updates too:
- Apple Intelligence is now supported in the EU for iPad users
- iPadOS lets you pick a default Translation app, and in the EU Navigation is also a new default category
- Image Playground adds a new Sketch style for creating original images
- Apple Podcasts gets two new widget types for your Library and Shows
- Apple Intelligence now supports many more new languages
- There are also a variety of other smaller UI changes and improvements
Have you installed the new macOS 15.4 beta or another public beta? How’s it running for you? Let us know in the comments.
Best Mac and iPad accessories
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
