Apple's iOS 18.4 Beta: New Features and AI Enhancements

Apple's iOS 18.4 public beta drops with new features you'll want to try

Kicked off on Tuesday, Apple's first public beta of iOS 18.4 enhances a host of features in clever ways. But those of you expecting another AI-powered overhaul to Siri may be disappointed. On the plus side, the new beta adds more in the realm of Apple Intelligence. You can now enable Priority Notifications, which prompt the built-in AI to show them at the top of your notification stack. To activate this, go to Settings, select Notifications, tap Prioritize Notifications, and then turn on the switch for Prioritize Notifications. The Image Playground now includes a third style called Sketch, joining the Animation and Illustration styles that were already available. Accessing Genmoji is easier thanks to a new button that says "Genmoji." Also: The latest iOS 18.3 update was killing my iPhone's battery - until I disabled this popular feature Plus, Apple Intelligence now supports French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), as well as the localized English language in India and Singapore. Of course, you'll need the right type of device to access Apple Intelligence. That means any iPhone 16 model, an iPhone 15 Pro, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPad with an A17 Pro or M1 or later chip, or any Mac with an M1 or later chip. Yes, Apple has also released public betas for iPadOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4, which offer many of the same enhancements found in iOS 18.4. Also: Why Apple's disabling of iCloud encryption in the UK is bad news for everyone Next up, Apple News+ has cooked up a new Food section for subscribers seeking recipes, healthy eating tips, and other food-related information. A new Ambient Music option accessible through Control Panel lets you choose different sound categories such as Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Tapping one of the four then plays music in that style. The beta adds new widgets for the Podcasts app. The Library widget displays all saved episodes from your podcast library, while the Shows widget will show you all the episodes from a specific show. For CarPlay users, you'll now see an extra row of icons on the screen, but only if your display is large enough. And for people who need to translate languages, you're now able to set a default translation app. On the minus side, though, the new beta doesn't include any significant improvements to Siri. Based on past reports, iOS 18.4 was expected to add on-screen awareness to Siri, allowing it to field questions about the current screen. The voice assistant was also supposed to start working with third-party apps to expand its repertoire. Also: Change these 10 iOS settings right now to instantly get better iPhone battery life Since this is the first public beta, we may still see some tweaks to Siri before iOS 18.4 is officially released. However, the major updates likely won't appear for a couple of months. In a news item posted last Friday, Apple said that "Apple Intelligence will continue to expand with new features in the coming months, including more capabilities for Siri." With a reference to the coming months, that means the next round of Siri enhancements probably won't arrive until the official release of iOS 18.5 in late April or May.

iOS 18.4 beta is live -- here's all the new features for your iPhone

Apple rolled out the first developer beta of iOS 18.4 this week, bringing with it plenty of design overhauls and tweaks. While the first beta isn't quite the big Apple Intelligence upgrade it was tipped to be, there are still some handy new features we're excited to see. Granted, it's likely not enough to convert someone to make the switch, but if you already have one of the best iPhones, we think you'll be pleasantly surprised by iOS 18.4's improvements to the overall iOS 18 experience. So let's dive on into everything added with iOS 18.4 beta one, including Priority Notifications, a new section of Apple News to get you cooking, and more. Priority Notifications is the big tentpole new feature coming with the first iOS 18.4 beta. Initially announced last year among a slew of planned Apple Intelligence-powered updates, it uses AI to identify more urgent alerts and push them to the top of your notification stack. Priority Notifications is disabled by default, but you can turn it on by going to Settings > Notifications > Prioritize Notifications. The Genmoji icon for the Emoji keyboard has been updated. Gone is the multi-colored smiley face, replaced with the the more straightforward label "Genmoji" to make it obvious where users can go to play around with Apple's customized emoji feature. The design tweaks don't stop there: Apple has updated the Control Center with a new picker for switching Focus modes and a new animation for adjusting volume. The Cellular toggle also shows your cellular signal strength represented in bars now. One nice improvement Apple is releasing comes to Image Playground, which will get a new Sketch style alongside its existing Animation and Illustration styles. Introduced with iOS 18.2, Image Playground is Apple's answer to compete with the best AI image generators. The Sketch style makes your images look...well, sketched, like a talented artist just re-created your shot on a canvas. You'll also find a new interface for editing your Albums list in the Photos app. My fellow foodies out there will be happy to know the iOS 18.4 beta adds a new Apple News Plus Food section that brings "tens of thousands of recipes" to the service, a selection of which will be available to non-subscribers as well. It will also include "stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more" from leading food publishers like Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats, Apple says. While early reports suggested Siri could get a big upgrade with iOS 18.4, Apple appears to be holding out for later betas, as the first only adds two new Australian voices for Siri. It does, however, add several new languages for Apple Intelligence support, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified) along with localized English for Singapore and India. The beta also introduces a new Ambient Music option that can be accessed straight from the Control Center or assigned to your phone's Action button. There are four different sound categories: Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Apple's latest update promises to further streamline how users engage with their default apps. The iOS 18.4 beta adds the option to set a default Translate app, and for users in the European Union, there is also an option to set a default Navigation app. You'll now be able to set your Preferred Language from the Apple Maps settings menu as well. Speaking of navigation, the CarPlay interface has been updated to include a third row of app icons on the Home screen, though the change only applies to certain cars. New Library and Shows widgets makes playing your podcasts a cinch. The Library widget displays saved content while the Shows option presents programming you're already subscribed to. Either can be added to your home screen on both iPhone or iPad. Apple also introduced two new Shortcuts action that lets you open a specific conversation in the Messages app or send a message. Finally, the updated Mail app, which Apple first introduced with iOS 18.2, has revamped categorization options and can now automatically sort your emails into four distinct categories. Personal and time-sensitive emails appear under the Primary category, newsletters and social media notifications fall under Updates, deals and coupons under Promotions, and Transactions is for receipts. You can download the new software update to your phone now by going to Settings, General and finally, Software Update. If you don't immediately see the Update Now button with iOS 18.4 displayed, pull down to refresh the page. The full iOS 18.4 update is expected to roll out sometime in April.

iOS 18.4 -- all the new features and improvements coming to your iPhone

Every year, Apple announces a slew of new features for its iPhone software, but as is increasingly the reality, many of those capabilities don't arrive with the initial release in the fall -- but rather, in smaller updates throughout the year. iOS 18 is no different, especially in regards to the big new capabilities that Apple announced under the banner of Apple Intelligence. The first set of those features, including Writing Tools and notification summaries, arrived last fall; those were followed by Image Playground, Genmoji, and ChatGPT integration just before the end of last year. But that's not the end of this cavalcade of features: one last set is scheduled to arrive in iOS 18.4, which was just launched as a developer beta, with a full release coming this spring. Of the promised Apple Intelligence features announced at last year's WWDC 2024, three major ones remain unreleased: Personal Context for Siri, in-app actions for Siri, and Priority Notifications. What will these do, and how important are they to Apple's overall AI strategy? Among the yet to be released Apple Intelligence features, Personal Context for Siri is probably the most significant, as well as perhaps the most eagerly anticipated. Apple has [already advertised] some of the capabilities this will unlock, but ultimately this is supposed to enable the company's voice assistant to understand more about your data. To do so, Apple Intelligence constructs a "semantic index" of your data, including things like photos, files, calendar appointments, notes, links people have sent you, and more. When you make a request, it can identify items in that index that are relevant to what you're asking for. So, for example, you'd be able to ask it to find the message where your mom sent you her flight details, whether it was in a text or an email. Or you could ask it about whether you'll have time to drive between two appointments, and it can look at your calendar, the relevant locations, and calculate the time to get between them. It can even retrieve information from pictures you've taken if, for example, you've taken a picture of your ID and need to enter details from it into a form on a website. In addition to all of that context, Siri will also be able to understand what's on your screen, so for example, if a friend sends you details about a party, you could tell Siri to add it to your calendar. On top of Siri understanding your personal data better, iOS 18.4 stands to unlock another powerful piece of functionality: the ability for the personal assistant to take actions for you in and across apps. This is powered by an existing framework called App Intents, which also integrates with platform features like Spotlight and Shortcuts; it allows third-party apps to tell the system about actions they can perform. For example, a camera app could advertise its ability to take a picture. Or a messaging app could offer the power to send a message. Or a mapping app could provide a way to kick off transit directions. Those actions can then be linked together: pull information from a note in the Notes app and have it sent via Messages, for example. Siri has been able to do this to some degree in the past, though it largely required manually creating a shortcut in advance and then triggering that shortcut with the voice assistant. However, what this new ability promises is for Siri to understand all the in-app actions available to it right off the bat, freeing up users from the cognitive overhead of having to create, in advance, shortcuts for whatever they want to do. Instead, you should just be able to tell Siri "send the note with my partner's flight times to them via Messages" and Siri just, well, does it. Apple introduced priority messages in Mail with iOS 18.1: the feature is supposed to float messages that actively require your attention to the top of your inbox, using machine learning to identify what's actually important. (Admittedly, results have been mixed.) With iOS 18.4, however, Apple is likely to deliver a similar promised feature that applies to all of your notifications. Priority notifications aims to use the same sort of machine learning technology to identify push notifications that may require your attention -- a note from a colleague about the deadline for a project, for example, or a missed call from your kid's school, or a delivery that's about to arrive -- and move it to the top of your lock-screen's stack of notifications, separating it from the deluge of alerts we receive all day every day. Apple's tried its hand at features like this before, including the addition of "time-sensitive notifications" that could be set to break through Do Not Disturb mode back in iOS 15. But the decision of whether notifications were, in fact, time-sensitive was left up to the developers of apps themselves, rather than users. Priority notifications takes this idea a step further by analyzing the actual content and context of those notifications to figure out what's really important. A messaging app might decide all of its notifications are time-sensitive, but it may be more important for you to see a message from your partner about school pick-up than one from a colleague asking what's for lunch. This final set of Apple Intelligence features are the last to arrive before Apple takes the wraps off iOS 19, and with good reason: they are both the most ambitious and the most difficult to implement. Personal context will require the synthesis of a tremendous amount of your data and sifting through all of that information will no doubt push Apple's machine learning models to their limits. As for in-app actions, while a powerful way of marshaling the capabilities of Apple's own built-in apps, it will require buy-in from third-party developers to go from being a tech demo to a feature that everybody will want to use. But the combination of those features aims to deliver on a promise first made at Siri's introduction more than a decade ago: a true virtual assistant that can take care of complex and onerous tasks for users. To date, people often spend more time trying to adapt themselves to Siri -- figuring out how to phrase queries to get the right response or even what they should bother asking it to do -- rather than Siri being able to adapt itself to people. Whether these improvements work as Apple intends -- and that's a big if, based on previous Apple Intelligence features -- they could usher in a new era for the virtual assistant and justify Apple's AI investment by delivering a feature that truly benefits people's lives.

Here Are All the New Features in iOS 18.4

The new iOS 18.4 beta is still missing an AI-overhauled Siri, on-screen awareness, and the app integrations feature we were promised all the way back in June at WWDC. If you're waiting for those features, try your luck with iOS 18.5. However, 18.4 isn't an empty update. The first beta introduces Priority Notifications, and Apple Intelligence now supports more languages -- which is great news for Apple users across the globe. In addition, Apple Intelligence is now accessible in the European Union for the first time. Here's everything that's new with iOS 18.4. One of the new highlight features in iOS 18.4 is Priority Notifications. When enabled, your iPhone will use on-device intelligence to figure out which notifications are truly important, and will highlight them in a new Priority Notifications box at the top. However, in this beta, it's not enabled by default. Go to Settings > Notifications > Prioritize Notifications and then enable the feature. When you're creating an image in Image Playground, you'll see a new style option called Sketch. This style makes it look like your AI-generated image was sketched on a paper. If that sounds familiar, that's because we also saw this back at WWDC, but Apple only just added it to iOS with this update. Apple already has a background sounds feature that generates nature sounds for ambient playback. However, in iOS 18.4, you'll find a new Ambient Music section in Control Center. There are four options: Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Tap one, and it'll play a corresponding playlist from Apple Music. Apple has mapped a playlist to each button by default, but you're not locked to any. If you go into the editing view and then tap on a control, you can choose a different playlist (Apple gives you four different options for each control), or you can choose any playlist from your own collection. Apple Intelligence now supports French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), plus there's now support for localized English language in both India and Singapore. The News app has a new Apple News Food+ section for paying subscribers. Here, you can access tens of thousands of aesthetically pleasing recipes. There are also stories, restaurant reviews, and more. With iPadOS 18.4 beta and macOS 15.4 beta, the redesigned Mail app is coming to the iPad and the Mac. Once you update, you'll get access to email categories and other AI features on your tablet and computer. When I wrote about Genmoji, I was tempted to call it a hidden feature, because that's what it felt like. Genmoji was just a multicolor smiley face tucked in the corner of the Emoji keyboard. Apple seems to have learned its lesson: With 18.4, the new icon says "Gemoji" right next to the smiley face rainbow icon. The Podcasts app has two new widgets: one for Library, and for Shows. The Library widget can show you all saved episodes, downloaded episodes, or latest episodes. The Shows widget is for highlighting all episodes from a single show. You can choose a show, and then access all the latest episodes from the show from the Home Screen. Apple's selection of default apps options is growing. You can now set a different Translate app by default, and if you're in the EU, there's now support for choosing a default navigation app, too. (If you're not in the EU, try using Map Redirect as a workaround.) For some users, it looks like CarPlay is adding a third row of app icons on the Home screen. Major app updates like iOS 18.4 typically include a number of smaller changes in addition to more notable ones. Here's what else iOS 18.4 updates on your iPhone:

iOS 18.4 public beta now available, here's everything new - 9to5Mac

iOS 18.3 launched almost a month ago, leaving a long gap afterward with no new software. But the first iOS 18.4 public beta is finally here, and it brings a lot of big and small changes for iPhone. Here's what's new in today's release. There are four new Apple Intelligence upgrades and changes available in the first iOS 18.4 beta: The only big new AI features we're still waiting on are Siri upgrades, which I'll address further down. Apple News+ is getting better in iOS 18.4 with a major expansion into food and recipe features. Inside the News app, News+ subscribers can access a dedicated Food hub for finding "tens of thousands" of recipes. There are also stories on restaurants and other food-related news. Recipes themselves are presented in a beautiful new interface that makes it easy to follow along. If you regularly use recipes from the web, you know how nice a change this will be. A recipe interface that's free from the clutter of intrusive ads is huge. There's also a nice device integration that lets you start a timer with just a tap in the recipe itself. There's a new Ambient Music feature in Control Center that lets you choose from four different 'mood' soundtracks: Each option is set by default to a specific Apple Music playlist, but you can also edit which playlist is triggered -- choosing from preset options or your own creation. Each control can be added not only to Control Center, but also your iPhone's Action button or Lock Screen. iOS 18.4 was expected to bring three major Siri upgrades: onscreen awareness, personal context understanding, and new in-app actions. But unfortunately none of these are currently supported in beta 1. It's possible Apple will add some of these Siri changes in future iOS 18.4 betas. However, Mark Gurman seems to believe they've been delayed into iOS 18.5 instead. What are your favorite iOS 18.4 public beta features? Let us know in the comments.

iOS 18.4 developer beta released -- here's what you can expect

The new iOS 18.4 developer beta was released, and with it came many new features. Apple's latest iPhone operating system, iOS 18.4, adds AI capabilities and more news features. Here's a quick breakdown of what to expect. The developer beta was released last week and will become fully available to the public in April. Apple noted that iOS 18.4 would add numerous languages for Apple Intelligence, "including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified) -- as well as localized English for Singapore and India." With the operating system update, users in the European Union will also get access to Apple Intelligence, which had been delayed as the tech company worked to ensure it complied with local laws. Apple promised Apple Intelligence would continue to add capabilities as time passes. With the 18.4 developer beta, Apple finally rolled out priority notifications, as 9to5Mac noted. This is something we expected to get this year, and it's exactly what it sounds like: AI pushes important notifications to the top and less important stuff to the bottom. iOS 18.4 is a big update for the culinary inclined. It has a new, food-focused news feature. However, you must subscribe to Apple News+. In a press release, Apple wrote: "Apple News+ subscribers will have access to Apple News+ Food, a new section that will feature tens of thousands of recipes -- as well as stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more -- from the world's top food publishers, including Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats." Apple News editors will curate the section. If you are curious, an Apple News+ subscription will cost you $12.99 per month. If you're a light sleeper or need background noise to get work done, Apple has a new feature for you with iOS 18.4. The ambient music feature can be added to your control center and play sounds for "Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing," Macrumors noted. As the folks at 9to5Mac and Macrumors have noted, there are also several small shifts in design that come with the new beta version of Apple's new iOS. For instance, CarPlay has, for some folks, begun to show three rows of app icons. There are new widgets in the Podcast app, a list view for photos, and a new icon for clicking on Genmoji. As with any iOS update, there are small changes in many places -- and plenty of time to play around with it before it drops for the public in April.

iOS 18.4 beta begins with huge Apple Intelligence expansion but no new Siri

The next big Apple Intelligence feature is a smarter Siri, and it's coming in iOS 18.4. iOS 18.4 is destined to be a big release. The headline feature of iOS 18 is Apple Intelligence, and the various AI features have been rolling out piece by piece. After getting no major new AI features in iOS 18.3, Apple is bringing Apple Intelligence to many more countries in iOS 18.4 as well as a new device -- Vision Pro. However, the anticipated Siri update has to wait. There are several big Siri updates coming, including personal context, app intents, and screen reading, but they're missing from the first iOS 18.4 beta. Instead, Apple says Apple Intelligence "will receive additional features in the coming months, including expanded capabilities for Siri." That likely means the whole update has been pushed to iOS 18.5. The iOS 18.4 beta began on February 21 and we expect the final release in early April. We'll update this section with the features and changes found in the latest iOS 18.4 beta, as they are found. Apple Intelligence languages: Including Simplified Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish -- along with localized English for Singapore and India. Apple Intelligence regions: With iOS 18.4, iPhone and iPad users in the EU will gain access to Apple Intelligence features for the first time. Apple Intelligence for Vision Pro: Apple is bringing Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro for English-speaking users in the U.S. with the visionOS 2.4 update. Apple Vision Pro app: iOS 18.4 brings a new iPhone app that offers users a new way to download Vision Pro apps and games from the App Store on your iPhone, as well as browse Apple TV content and access your library of spatial photos and videos. It only shows up if you have a Vision Pro associated with the same Apple ID. Food in News+: A new section in Apple News+ for curated recipes, restaurant reviews, and curated stories about food and dining. You'll need to be registered as an Apple developer. Beginning with iOS 18.4, you don't need to be in the $99 per year developer program to access the developer beta. A free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here's how to do it via the Apple Developer app: Registered developers can choose to get the Public Beta instead by selecting iOS Public Beta in the Software Update screen. It may take a little time after registering as a developer for the option to appear in Software Updates. If you want to be among the first to test iOS 18.4, you can sign up for the public beta test, which should arrive in late February. The process for installing a beta has changed in iOS 16.4. Here's how the new process works now: It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update.

New in iOS 18.4 developer beta 1: Apple Vision Pro app, Priority Notifications, and more

The first developer beta of iOS 18.4 features an entirely new system application, along with significant changes to Apple Intelligence and Apple News+. Here's what you need to know. On Friday, Apple released the first developer beta of iOS 18.4, with build number 22E5200s. The software update comes more than a week after the iPhone maker released iOS 18.3.1 to the general public. The iOS 18.4 update was widely rumored to contain improvements for Siri, it appears as though the planned upgrades for Apple's virtual assistant have been delayed. Instead, the software update includes some useful enhancements for Apple Intelligence and its associated features, among other changes. In terms of compatibility, the first developer beta of iOS 18.4 can be installed on devices as old as the iPhone XR and iPhone XS. These two phones will gain access to a new food-related feed in the Apple News+ app and additional Control Center toggles, while Apple Intelligence remains exclusive to more recent iPhone models, such as the iPhone 16 range and iPhone 15 Pro. At launch, Apple's generative AI features were only available in US English. The iOS 18.2 update offered additional options and made Apple Intelligence available in different regional varieties of English. Friday's iOS 18.4 developer beta takes this even further by adding support for localized English in India and Singapore. Apple didn't stop there, though, as Apple Intelligence is now available in eight additional languages: Chinese (simplified), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. These languages are currently only available in the developer beta, but will make their way to the public in April. Apple Intelligence as a whole received two more improvements: a new Sketch style for Image Playground and a feature known as "Priority Notifications," which moves important notifications into a separate section of the iOS Lock Screen. Priority Notifications can be toggled from the Settings app by simply navigating to Notifications and enabling the setting labeled Prioritize Notifications. The feature was designed to help users manage their notifications by highlighting content Apple's AI software deems important. The iOS 18.4 update also introduces a dedicated "Apple Vision Pro" application, which appears automatically for users who own the headset and have signed into their Apple Account with it. It is also available on the Apple App Store as a free download. The application offers instructions on how to use the Apple Vision Pro and lets users access essential information about their headset, such as the serial number. Content recommendations are also available via a carefully curated list of titles and immersive experiences. Within the app, a dedicated "Discover" section highlights the different apps, immersive videos, and games available for the Apple Vision Pro. According to Apple, there are over 300 3D movies available for the headset. Additional videos can be found via the Apple TV on visionOS, and users even have the option to upload their videos. Content from the Spatial Gallery feature, introduced with the corresponding visionOS 2.4 developer beta, can also be viewed. This includes spatial videos and photos, which are now conveniently in one place. The iPhone app lets users toggle a new Guest Mode, which makes it possible to test the headset without going through the entire setup process. Apple News+ received a new feed for recipes, restaurant reviews, and kitchen tips. It's worth pointing out, though, that this feature is not available to all users of iOS 18.4, as it requires an Apple News+ subscription. The iOS 18.4 developer beta also brought with it a few minor enhancements, including a new set of Ambient Music controls for the Control Center. These can be used to open specific Apple Music playlists, with the available options being Chill, Productivity, Sleep, and Wellbeing. Users can manually configure the controls, and adjust the related playlists to their liking. Friday's iOS 18.4 developer beta contains a variety of minor improvements, as well: None of these changes are particularly significant on their own, but they do offer insight into Apple's dedication and focus on end-user satisfaction. The same can be said for Apple's other platforms, which also received updates this week. Over on the iPad, the first developer beta of iPadOS 18.4 introduces support for Apple's on-device email categorization feature, powered by machine learning. The feature also finally made its way to the Mac with the macOS Sequoia 15.4 developer beta. Previously, this was available only on iPhone, which is interesting given that Apple spent years working on the project, known during development by the codename BlackPearl. It was released to the general public with the iOS 18.2 update. The Apple Vision Pro undoubtedly received the most significant update this week. The visionOS 2.4 developer beta introduces support for Apple Intelligence, meaning that owners of the headset now finally have access to Apple's AI features. This includes features such as Writing Tools, Image Playground, Genmoji, and more. It's worth pointing out, however, that visionOS 2.4 is still early in the release cycle, being only on its first developer beta. Apple plans to release the update to the general public in April 2025, making Apple Intelligence available to all Apple Vision Pro users.

iOS 18.4 Beta 1: You WON'T Believe What's Inside!

Apple has officially released iOS 18.4 Developer Beta 1, bringing a host of updates across its ecosystem, including iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, homeOS, and visionOS. This latest beta emphasizes advancements in privacy, artificial intelligence (AI), and user experience, showcasing Apple's ongoing commitment to innovation and user-centric design. Below is a detailed exploration of the most notable updates and features shaping this release. The video below from iDeviceHelp gives us more details on the new beta. One of the most significant and debated changes in iOS 18.4 Beta 1 is Apple's decision to disable Advanced Data Protection in the United Kingdom. This feature, which provides end-to-end encryption for iCloud data, has been removed due to Apple's refusal to comply with government demands for a backdoor to access encrypted data. For users in the UK, it is crucial to enable this feature before its removal to ensure your data remains secure. Outside the UK, Advanced Data Protection continues to be available, reinforcing Apple's broader commitment to safeguarding personal information. This decision underscores Apple's dedication to prioritizing user privacy, even when faced with regulatory challenges, and highlights the ongoing tension between tech companies and government authorities over data security. Apple Intelligence, the company's suite of AI-driven tools, is now available in additional regions, including the European Union. This expansion brings advanced machine learning capabilities to a broader audience, enhancing the functionality of Apple devices. Key improvements include: For Vision Pro users in the United States, the update introduces new augmented reality (AR) functionalities that seamlessly integrate into everyday tasks. These enhancements reflect Apple's commitment to using AI to deliver a more intuitive and efficient user experience, while also addressing privacy concerns by keeping sensitive data on-device. This beta release introduces a variety of features aimed at improving usability, personalization, and creativity. Some of the most notable updates include: These updates demonstrate Apple's focus on blending functionality with personalization, making sure that the software adapts to your unique preferences and needs. Apple News+ continues to evolve with the addition of a new category of lifestyle content. Subscribers now have access to recipes, restaurant reviews, and kitchen tips, transforming the app into a more comprehensive resource for daily living. Whether you're planning meals, exploring new cuisines, or seeking dining inspiration, Apple News+ aims to provide engaging and practical content tailored to your interests. This update positions the platform as more than just a news aggregator, offering value for users looking to enrich their lifestyle. The Vision Pro, Apple's innovative augmented reality headset, receives significant updates in this beta, making it more versatile and user-friendly. Key improvements include: These updates enhance the Vision Pro's appeal for both individual and shared use cases, further integrating AR into everyday life and expanding its potential applications. Although not yet available in this beta, Apple has teased an upcoming Visual Intelligence feature. This tool will enable users to point their camera at objects and instantly receive information about them. Initially expected to launch on the iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, and the upcoming iPhone 16e, this feature highlights Apple's dedication to integrating augmented reality and machine learning into its devices. By offering practical, real-world applications, Visual Intelligence promises to enhance how users interact with their surroundings, bridging the gap between technology and everyday tasks. The second beta of iOS 18.4 is anticipated in early March, with the official release expected in early to mid-April. As Apple continues to refine its software, users can look forward to additional features, improvements, and optimizations in the coming weeks. This iterative approach ensures that the final release delivers a polished and seamless experience across Apple's ecosystem. Here are more guides from our previous articles and guides related to iOS 18.4 Beta that you may find helpful.

iOS 18.4 Beta 1 Update Introduces Priority Notifications on iPhone

Apple Intelligence now supports more languages and locales Apple on Friday rolled out the iOS 18.4 Beta 1 update for iPhone, bringing new features including those powered by Apple Intelligence -- the company's artificial intelligence (AI) suite. The update introduces Priority Notifications, a feature which Apple previewed at WWDC 2024 in June while introducing iOS 18 but was yet to be released. As the name suggests, it analyses notifications to single out the ones it considers important and displays them in a separate section on the iPhone's lock screen. As per Apple, Priority Notifications on iPhone uses on-device AI processing to analyse the contents of the notifications. The company emphasises that this method helps determine their importance while maintaining privacy. While only prioritised notifications are displayed when it is in action, users can swipe up to view all notifications. This feature is turned off by default and can be toggled by navigating to Settings > Notifications > Prioritise Notifications. iOS 18.4 Beta 1 Update for iPhone is Now Available for Download Another change as part of the iOS 18.4 Beta 1 update is a new Ambient Music option in the Control Centre. It plays a random selection of sounds from four different categories -- Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Its functionality is said to be limited as users cannot choose which tracks are played although they can still see what's currently being played and skip them through the music player embedded in the Dynamic Island. The company says it has added a new style to the Image Playground app dubbed Sketch, which joins the existing Animation and Illustration styles. The same was previously available in Image Wand but has now been introduced to Image Playground too, enabling users to choose between three different styles. As expected, the update expands support for Apple Intelligence to more languages and locales. It now includes support for Chinese (Simplified), English (India, Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil) and Spanish languages. Other minor changes include new text for Genmoji in the emoji keyboard, option to set preferred language in Apple Maps, new Library and Shows widgets for the home screen, and an option to set a default Translation app.

iOS 18.4 release date: Here's when to expect new features - 9to5Mac

Apple's last big software update, iOS 18.3, arrived in late January. Although we're still waiting for the first iOS 18.4 beta to drop, Apple has already provided a very narrow window for when the public iOS 18.4 version will launch. Here's what to expect. It's unusual for Apple to share timelines for software release dates far in advance, but iOS 18.4 is one of the rare exceptions. All the way back in October, when the first Apple Intelligence features launched, the company mentioned that an April software update would bring additional AI languages. Based on previous years' software patterns and Mark Gurman's reporting, it became clear that iOS 18.4 would be that April software update. Apple Intelligence is available in beta...Additional features and...language support available in early April The "early" qualifier still offers Apple some flexibility, but I would assume this means iOS 18.4 will launch before mid-month. The week of April 7 seems most likely, but Apple could potentially target a Monday, April 14 launch and technically still consider that "early April." In any case, iOS 18.4's release will be here before long. For a while now, Mark Gurman has been reporting that some major Siri improvements are in store for iOS 18.4. Currently we're still waiting on three major Apple Intelligence upgrades for Siri, including: Though Gurman has been consistent on the expected inclusion of these features in iOS 18.4, very recently he cast doubt on their inclusion. Last week he wrote: Apple is considering delaying or limiting at least some of the [Siri] overhaul until iOS 18.5, which will be released as early as May, the people said. [...] Inside Apple, many employees testing the new Siri have found that these features don't yet work consistently. And it's nearing crunch time for the software to be ready. So it's unclear whether iOS 18.4 will still include some Siri improvements or not. I wouldn't be surprised if we get some new features, while certain capabilities get pushed to iOS 18.5. Beyond that, iOS 18.4 is expected to include several other AI improvements such as a priority notification feature, a new style for the Image Playground app, and more. Are you excited for iOS 18.4's release soon? Let us know in the comments.

iOS 18.4: Release timeline, Apple Intelligence features, expanded language support and everything else we know

"Sketch" style returns to the Image Playground app for AI-generated image creations. Apple has begun to roll out Apple Intelligence features with the iOS 18.2 update for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 series. While iOS 18.3 was a smaller update, iOS 18.4 will expand the features to include more languages. Siri could get a major overhaul with on-screen context awareness. However, reports indicate that the feature may be delayed until the next major update. Here's everything we know about iOS 18.4's release schedule, AI features, expanded language support, and more. According to a MacRumor report, Apple may release additional AI features and language support in early April, indicating that iOS 18.4 will be released soon. However, at the time of writing, the specific features that will be introduced with the upcoming update are unknown. Also read: iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air leaks: Price in India, camera, design, display and more Additionally, the update will include support for Chinese (Simplified), English (India, Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. Other language support is expected to be phased in. Apple was expected to release the much-anticipated on-screen context and personalised responses with Siri for users. According to the most recent report, Apple is experiencing issues with the AI-powered Siri and may face a delay as a result of software bugs and engineering issues. Apple may delay the AI Siri feature until May or later. READ: iPhone 17 series may get Apple's in-house chips for faster WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity The update is also expected to include Priority Notifications, which will allow users to receive important alerts while reducing manual notification management. In addition, the update is expected to bring back the "Sketch" style to the Image Playground app, providing a new option for AI-generated image styling.

iOS 18.4 to arrive in April: What new Siri improvements and Apple intelligence features can iPhone users expect?

Tech giant Apple has updated its official iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 pages, confirming that iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 will be released in early April. According to reports, the update will introduce expanded Apple Intelligence capabilities, including support for multiple new languages. However, some reports suggest that key Siri enhancements may be postponed. Apple Intelligence, the company's AI-driven technology, is expected to become even more powerful with iOS 18.4. According to a report in GSM Arena, the update will add language support for Chinese (Simplified), English (India, Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. Apple has also promised a significant overhaul for Siri, introducing personal context awareness, enabling it to better understand user preferences. Additionally, Siri will feature on-screen awareness, allowing it to respond based on what is visible on the screen, as well as enhanced app integration, making it easier to complete tasks across multiple apps. Also Read : Taiwan eyes $10-billion US arms deal to strengthen military defence For instance, if a friend shares their new address via text, users will be able to instruct Siri to add it to their contact card, and the voice assistant will handle it automatically. Although Apple has hinted at a new era for Siri, reports from GSM Arena suggest that the major AI-powered improvements may not arrive with iOS 18.4. This could delay the advanced Siri features until iOS 18.5 or later. Beyond AI enhancements, iOS 18.4 is expected to introduce new emojis, including one depicting a face with bags under the eyes. Changes to default app choices in the European Union may also be implemented in compliance with new regulations. Another report suggests that iOS 18.4 will include features such as a priority notification system, a redesigned Image Playground app, and other refinements. Reports indicate that iOS 18.4 will be compatible with a wide range of iPhones, including the iPhone 11 series and later models, iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, and iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation). However, Apple Intelligence features will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the upcoming iPhone 16 series. Also Read : Kanye West, Kim Kardashian reunite for daughter North West on The Kardashians 1. When will Apple release iOS 18.4? Apple has confirmed that iOS 18.4 will be released in early April 2024, with multiple beta versions expected before the final launch. 2. What new Apple Intelligence features will iOS 18.4 bring? iOS 18.4 will introduce expanded language support, on-screen awareness for Siri, and enhanced interaction with applications. However, some of Siri's advanced AI features may be delayed until a later update.

I installed iOS 18.4 dev beta and the big Siri intelligence update is nowhere to be found

Apple released its first developer beta for iOS 18.4, and it's missing the single biggest and likely most requested Apple Intelligence update: the new and much smarter and more useful Siri. A big caveat here: No one is encouraging you to install a developer beta on your best iPhone. These updates are intended for developers and ultra-nerds like me who are desperate to try the very newest stuff. So downloaders, beware. Even so, the exclusion of what should be Apple Intelligence's crowning feature is worrisome. Apple started its AI journey almost a year ago and has been rolling out Apple Intelligence features since the summer and through September with the release of the iPhone 16 lineup. Since then, there have been numerous updates, but Siri has remained frustratingly behind. Sure, there have been smaller enhancements like more app awareness, but full system cognition and the ability to engage in a conversational manner that connects the prompts to everything the iPhone knows about you is still missing. As far as I can tell, Siri on iOS 18.4 Dev Beta 1 is unchanged. Siri can still easily open the camera app on command, but if I ask it to open the camera and take a picture, it only completes the first task. When I ask it to analyze my calendar and emails to see if I have too much going on, it has no idea what I'm going on about. iOS 18.4 (and iPadOS 18.4) is not devoid of enhancements. The update brings a new News+ Food section, which Apple notes in a release on the update will include "tens of thousands of recipes -- as well as stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more -- from the world's top food publishers, including Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats." This feature was not evident, though, in this first developer beta, and Apple says it will arrive in April for Apple News+ subscribers. Image Playground gets a tiny update in the form of a new illustration style: Sketch, which delivers a visual output that looks more like, say, a colored pencil sketch. The update also promises the new Vision Pro app, a sort of utility, control, and information update that gives you a clearer iPhone connection to the powerful and expensive mixed reality wearable, which is also getting Apple Intelligence. Even though this beta isn't bringing a ton of Apple Intelligence updates, its release does mark an expansion of sorts. Apple Global Head of Marketing Greg Joswiak tweeted on X that Apple's brand of AI is expanding to eight more languages on iPhone, Mac, and iPad. The Vision Pro Apple Intelligence update is set to arrive in April. I'm sure there are quite a few other bug fixes and updates, big and small, in iOS 18.4, but it's hard to get truly excited without the full Apple Intelligence-infused version of Siri. It's like getting a cream-filled donut, biting into it, and finding the cream missing; there's just an empty cavity. Apple surely has one or two more major iOS 18 updates to go before they call us all to Cupertino for WWDC 2025 to talk iOS 19 and the next big Apple Intelligence update. If Apple wants to finally deliver whatever Siri is going to finally be before then, it better get moving.

Apple's Next Big iOS 18.4 Update for iPhone Gets a Release Timeline

Software bugs may delay Siri's AI-powered features to May or later Apple has announced the release timeline of its next big update for the iPhone dubbed iOS 18.4. It is expected to be rolled out in April, expanding the set of artificial intelligence (AI) features in the Apple Intelligence suite that the Cupertino-based technology giant has introduced with previous updates so far. Additionally, the update is also expected to expand the availability of the said AI features to support more languages and locales. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e as the newest entry-level model in Apple's lineup, the company has updated its iOS 18 page with new details. First spotted by Macrumors, the page now states that additional AI features and the support for more languages and locales will be available in "early April". As per Apple, it will expand the Apple Intelligence features to include support for Chinese (Simplified), English (India, Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil) and Spanish languages. Meanwhile, support for Vietnamese and more languages will also be rolled out in the coming months. Despite the release of the next big iPhone update scheduled in the next two months, the company is yet to release a developer beta of the same. Notably, iOS 18.4 was initially tipped to bring a smarter Siri which Apple advertised at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024. The digital assistant will be empowered with the capability of tapping into a user's personal data and seeing what's on their phone screen to provide contextual and personalised answers to queries. However, that may not be the case anymore. A recent report suggests that the iPhone maker is facing hurdles in the form of software bugs and engineering issues for the release of the AI-powered Siri. Thus, its rollout could be delayed from the planned roadmap and Apple may push it to May or later. On the other hand, the company could also make the deadline but turn off a set of specific features which aren't up to optimal performance yet for a future release.

Ready to See What's Next for the iPhone? The First iOS 18.4 Developer Beta Is Now Out

Nelson Aguilar is an LA-based tech how-to writer and graduate of UCLA. With more than a decade of experience, he covers Apple and Google and writes on iPhone and Android features, privacy and security settings and more. After a short pause following the release of iOS 18.3 to the general public, the Apple beta train is once again picking up speed. Registered developers can now install the first beta of iOS 18.4, which is expected to add more Apple Intelligence features, a new food feature in Apple News and more. Heads up: To use Apple Intelligence features, you need an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max or the iPhone 16 series, which includes the just-announced iPhone 16E that is due to arrive next week. If you don't have those models, you can still use this guide to download the latest iOS 18 dev beta -- you just won't get the Apple Intelligence features. Read more: Learn about the 5 Apple Intelligence features you'll actually use regularly. You can use Apple Intelligence to create original emoji, proofread your emails, summarize articles in Safari, prioritize your notifications, analyze your audio transcripts and reduce interruptions on your iPhone and other compatible devices. Siri will use AI to assist you better, thanks to integration with ChatGPT. iOS 18 in general brings a redesigned home screen, a customizable control center, locked and hidden apps, scheduled text messages, a new password manager app, text messaging via satellite and a huge redesign to the Photos app. Read more: iPhone Mirroring Has My Attention: Here's How Apple Says This New Feature Will Work The Apple Developer program has long required a fee to join, at $100 per year. Last year, with the release of the iOS 17 developer beta, Apple created a free tier of the Apple Developer program, which allows you to download any developer betas for free as long as you have an Apple ID. If you want to try out iOS 18.4 today, here's how. Just because you can download the iOS 18.4 developer beta for free doesn't mean you need to, or should. Early developer betas, such as this one, are intended for developers to test their apps on upcoming versions of iOS. It's also a way for developers to identify and report bugs, which helps Apple improve the software before it's released to the general public. That's a major reason why you may not want to download the iOS 18.4 developer beta on your phone: the bugs. A software bug, or any other glitches, can make your phone unstable. You may not be able to use some of your favorite apps, and even if you can, you may deal with apps that crash unexpectedly. The performance of your entire phone could be affected; the developer beta could make your phone lag or lead your battery to drain faster than usual or even overheat. I've downloaded developer betas on my personal iPhone for the last decade, and haven't faced any major issues. It's mostly just annoying when an app crashes or my battery dies quickly, but I've always managed. If you have a backup iPhone, you should definitely use that for the iOS 18.4 developer beta, because you won't need it every day, so you won't feel the full effects of any bugs or other issues. If you don't have one, running iOS 18.4 developer beta on your primary should hopefully be fine. In case you still want iOS 18.4 but don't want to deal with the developer beta, there's sure to be a more stable iOS 18.4 public beta in the coming weeks. Before you start downloading the iOS 18.4 developer beta, there are a few things you should know: In case you ever want to go back to iOS 18, here's our step-by-step guide. Now, you're ready to sign up for the Apple Developer program. There's now a free tier of the Apple Developer program, which allows you to download any developer beta without paying. Using the Apple ID that's connected to the device you want to update to iOS 18.4, do the following: 3. Finally, read through the Apple Developer Agreement, check all the boxes and hit Submit. You won't get full access to the development tools that the paid Apple Developer program membership offers, but you'll have access to the iOS 18.4 developer beta. If you're a developer, you should consider signing up for the paid version. You can download the iOS 18.3 developer beta manually, but the easiest way to do it is with an over-the-air update -- just like you would download and install your regular iOS update. After you sign up for the Apple Developer program, you should see the option to download the iOS 18.4 developer beta in your settings. To download the iOS 18.4 developer beta over-the-air, here's what you need to do: Enter your passcode, agree to the terms and conditions and then just wait for the update to install on your iPhone. Depending on your internet connection, the entire process should take about 10 or 15 minutes. Once your phone reboots, you should be running the iOS 18.4 developer beta. The problem with an over-the-air update is that it requires a certain amount of storage, so if your storage is nearly full, you won't be able to use the option in the previous section. Fortunately, you can use your computer to update to the iOS 18.4 developer beta. 1. On your Mac, go to this Apple Developer Program download page, find "iOS 18.4 beta," click Download Restore Images and download the iOS beta software restore image for your iPhone model. 2. Connect your phone to your computer and enter your device passcode or hit Trust This Computer. 3. Open a Finder window and then click your device in the sidebar under Locations. 4. Finally, hold down the Option key, click Check for Update and choose the iOS 18.4 beta software restore image you just downloaded from the Apple Developer website. The iOS 18.4 developer beta software will begin to install on your iPhone. Wait for a few minutes and when your phone reboots, you should have access to iOS 18.4.