Apple announced iOS 18 at its WWDC developers conference on June 10, releasing the first developer beta of the update immediately after the opening keynote. Weeks on, Apple has been releasing further betas to developers. And now, the first beta for iOS 18.1 is rolling out, with the update's biggest addition.
One of the biggest software updates we've ever seen, iOS 18 brings some incredible new features and more customization options to the iPhone than ever before. But the biggest addition is Apple Intelligence – Apple's set of AI features. Unavailable in the first betas, plenty of Apple Intelligence features are now featured in iOS 18.1 Beta 1.
You'll need to be in the US to use the new features, and there's a waitlist. So far, it seems that most are getting access pretty quickly. You'll also need an eligible device to use the features: an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, or any M-chip iPad.
Please note: iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 Beta 1 are available to download over the air for developers enrolled in the program. We do not recommend installing the software on your main device, as it is still unstable. New betas for tvOS 18, watchOS 11, and visionOS 2 are also now available. We'll likely see the next developer beta released in another fortnight, which is perhaps when the first iOS 18.1 public beta will appear.
Which Apple Intelligence features are available?
Here are all the Apple Intelligence features that you'll find in iOS 18.1 Beta 1:
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Writing Tools
- Rewrite, proofread, and summarize text in various apps (Mail, Notes, Pages, third-party apps)
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Siri Updates
- New design with glowing edge light
- Switch between text and voice interactions
- Device support and how-to answers across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
- Maintains context from one request to the next
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Mail App Enhancements
- Urgent emails section at inbox top
- Email summaries without opening messages
- Smart Reply with question identification
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Reduce Interruptions
- New Focus mode for urgent notifications only
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Photos App Improvements
- Natural language photo search
- Specific moment search in videos
- Memories creation with storyline based on descriptions
- Transcript summaries
The generative image creator Image Playground, Genmoji, Priority Notifications, the new Siri with on-screen awareness, and Apple's ChatGPT integration are not yet available.
We imagine these will make an appearance in later betas. But with reports from Gurman suggesting these features might not roll out until 2025, we may have to wait some time for the first sign of these features, even in beta updates.
