Apple Releases iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 2 with Enhanced AI Features

iOS 18.1 beta 2 with Apple Intelligence now rolling out to developers - 9to5Mac

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 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.

Apple Intelligence Powered iOS 18.1 Beta 2 Update Released To Developers, Possibly With New Utilities

Apple Intelligence is all the hype these days, as Apple works with developers to curate bugs in its AI models. The company announced Apple Intelligence at its WWDC event in June with some pretty nifty features in order to better compete against the likes of OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini AI. Now, the company has released the second beta of the Apple Intelligence-powered iOS 18.1 update to developers. if you are a developer, you can download and install iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 beta 2 right now on the iPhone and iPad through the Settings app. If you are unfamiliar with the mechanism, you can follow our detailed guide on how to install iOS 18.1 beta on your iPhone, but make sure that your Apple ID is connected to your Developer Account. If not, the update will not be available over the air on your iPhone. Currently, only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are compatible with Apple Intelligence, which means that any older device will not receive the update. Apple has made high-end features available only for its flagship models, as the rest of the models only receive basic features, which are still more than a welcome addition. iOS 18.1 beta 2 includes new Writing Tools for editing, checking grammar, and rewriting for better understanding. It also includes the new Summarizing text feature which is also available in Safari. The new Siri experience with better contextual understanding and ChatGPT support is also part of the mix, allowing users to perform complex tasks through the virtual assistant. There are a handful of additional updates, which you can check out in the latest beta. Other than this, Apple has also made macOS 15.1 Sequoia beta 2 available to developers, which also includes support for Apple Intelligence features. The update is available on all Macs running Apple's custom silicon, including the M1 chips, which are quite old. It did raise a question of why Apple did not include older iPhone models in the mix, It is worth noting that Apple Intelligence features will be available a bit later, potentially in October as the company is making the platform perfect for the general public. We will keep you updated on the latest, so do stick around. Which Apple Intelligence feature are you most looking forward to?

How to Install the iOS 18.1 Developer Beta With Apple Intelligence

Apple has made available the second betas of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 to developers, bringing its new set of Apple Intelligence features to testers. Keep reading to learn how to prepare your device for the beta software and install it. Signing up to get the iOS 18.1 or iPadOS 18.1 beta is simple, and can be done by enrolling an iPhone or iPad in Apple's free Apple Beta Software Program. The steps you need to complete to install the software on your device are provided towards the end of this article, but before you jump ahead, here are a few things worth considering. iOS 18 is compatible with the same iPhone models as iOS 17. However, Apple Intelligence features are only supported on iPhone 15 Pro models and later, and iPad models with an Apple silicon M1 processor or later. If you're unsure which iPhone or iPad model you have, go to Settings -> General -> About, and you'll find the Model Name listed there. Before downloading the update, it's worth noting that Apple does not recommend installing the iOS 18.1 Beta on your main iPhone, so if you have a secondary device, use that. This is beta software, which means there are often bugs and issues that pop up that can prevent software from working properly or cause other problems. If you're concerned about potential issues, hold off on installing and wait for Apple to launch its final stable release later this year. Before installing the beta, make sure to back up your iOS device before installing the software using the following method, otherwise you won't be able to revert back to iOS 17 if things go wrong. Remember that this backup will not be overwritten when you manually or automatically back up your iPhone in the future, so you can restore it at any time by using the Restore Backup... option in the same Finder screen. Note that if your device is running iOS 16.3 or earlier, you'll need to download the iOS 18 configuration profile after enrolling. On your iPhone, go to beta.apple.com/profile to download the configuration profile. Your iPhone will notify you when the profile has been downloaded. Open Settings, tap the profile and follow the onscreen instructions to allow installation. iOS 18.1 introduces Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI features deeply integrated into the operating system. While not all functionalities are available yet, it includes Writing Tools for rewriting, polishing, proofreading, and summarizing text across apps. You can also generate custom images with Image Playground and create custom emojis through the Genmoji feature. Additionally, Siri is undergoing a complete overhaul. However, note that Apple Intelligence is not yet active in the beta versions. In addition to the AI features in iOS 18.1, iOS 18 more generally introduces a redesigned Home Screen that allows for rearranging app icons and widgets with open spaces. It also includes a tint option and new darker colors for Dark Mode. Control Center has been revamped, allowing you to pick and choose what you want to feature from the new Controls Gallery. With multiple pages available, you can group related controls and customize their sizes. Additionally, the Flashlight and Camera icons on the Lock Screen can be swapped out, and you can select Control Center options for the iPhone 15 Pro Action Button. Safari now features a summary view of webpages, allowing you to see key information at a glance. The Photos app has been revamped to highlight your best images more effectively. A new Passwords app streamlines access to your saved passwords and logins, and you can now secure any app using Face ID or Touch ID. There are many more new features in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 that aren't mentioned here, so for a more in-depth look make sure to check out our iOS 18 roundup and our iPadOS 18 roundup. iOS 18 is expected to get its official public release in the fall, around mid-September, followed by iOS 18.1 in October.

Apple releases iOS 18.1 developer beta 2 with AI features: Check what's new

After releasing the initial set of artificial intelligence features with the iOS 18.1 developer beta, Apple has now released the iOS 18.1 beta 2 for developers. While the new beta does not expand the suite of artificial intelligence features, it brings forward features previously introduced in the standard iOS 18 beta cycle. Additionally, it introduces new regional English language support for Apple Intelligence.

Apple seeds second developer betas for iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1

Apple's second beta track for the fall releases with Apple Intelligence is on its second round, with new builds of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 now available for testing by developers. The second iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 build number is 22B5023e, replacing 22B5007p. The main difference between the 18.1 and 18 versions is Apple Intelligence, the Cupertino giant's push into offering generative AI and machine learning to its users. Only some of the features are available in this version for testing. What has surfaced included a new Siri animation, Type to Siri, a better understanding of queries and contextual awareness, product knowledge, and a swathe of writing tools. For the fifth developer beta of iOS 18, Apple introduced Distraction Control, a feature for Safari that removes unwanted elements from webpages. It also made changes to the Photos app, updating the UI to remove the Carousel among other alterations. While it is too early to tell, it is highly likely that Apple incorporated these changes from the iOS 18 beta to the 18.1 variants. AppleInsider and Apple strongly recommend that users avoid installing test operating systems or other beta or RC software on "mission-critical" or primary devices, as there is the small chance of issues that could result in the loss of data. Testers should instead use secondary or non-essential hardware and ensure they have sufficient backups of their critical data at all times.

Apple releases iOS 18.1 beta 2 to developers, here's what's new

The stable iOS 18.1 build will likely roll out to the public sometime in October. Although the initial version is still in beta, Apple has already started testing the next iteration of iOS 18. With iOS 18.1 developer beta 1, we got the first batch of Apple Intelligence features on iPhone 15 Pro models, along with phone call recording support. iOS 18.1 beta 2 is now available to registered developers, and it packs some additional features that were excluded from the previous build. iOS 18.1 beta 2 includes the new Safari Distraction Control feature, which declutters webpages from certain elements, like static banners. This build also removes the Carousel feature from the Photos app, following user feedback about the app's complexity. These changes first debuted on iOS 18 beta 5, but those on the iOS 18.1 beta channel couldn't access them until now. If we spot anything else of significance, we will update you accordingly. In the meantime, you may want to take a look at Apple's official change log, which typically lists some of the known bugs, fixes, and features included in a particular beta. iOS 18.1 beta 1 brought some highly anticipated Apple Intelligence features, including Writing Tools, AI summaries in the Mail and Messages apps, a new Reduce Interruptions Focus mode, and more. It also enabled phone call recording and transcription support, which works completely offline -- thanks to the on-device Neural Engine.

Apple Seeds Sixth Betas of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 to Developers

Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 18/iPadOS 18 Developer Beta setting. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta. The iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 beta track is now separate from the iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 beta track, with the .1 betas adding support for Apple Intelligence on devices that are able to run the features. iOS 18 introduces Apple Intelligence, a set of AI features that are built deeply into the operating system. Apple Intelligence won't be coming until later in the beta testing process, but it includes features for refining and editing writing, generating images and emoji, and most notably, improving Siri and search. Siri is gaining a better understanding of natural language, improved contextual awareness, and the personal assistant will integrate with ChatGPT to answer more complex queries. Apple Intelligence features are limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models and iPads with an M-series chip, but there are a number of other features that are coming. Apple is allowing users to rearrange Home screen apps to have open spaces, plus there's a dark mode for app icons and tinting options. The Control Center is customizable and third-party developers can add controls for their apps, with the Lock Screen Flashlight and Camera icons able to be replaced or removed. Messages is gaining Rich Communication Services support to improve conversations with Android users, the option to schedule texts to be sent later, new text effects, messages over satellite when there's no cellular, and the option to use any emoji for Tapback responses. There's a dedicated Passwords app for logins, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes, and there's now an option to lock and hide apps, which means they can't be opened without secondary Face ID or Touch ID authentication even when your phone is unlocked. Safari has a highlights feature that summarizes articles and surfaces key information on websites, the Photos app interface has been overhauled, and there's a new Tap to Cash feature for privately and securely transferring money using Apple Cash. Other features include equation solving and voice memo transcription in Notes, a game mode for improving game performance, and an option to respond to Siri on AirPods with head gestures. Apple will release iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 to the public this fall.