Apple Releases Public Betas for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11 – Spiceworks

• Apple has released the public beta versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS Sequoia, and tvOS 18.
• The public betas bring not-so-exciting but useful features to the Apple devices. Users can also expect Apple Intelligence to be included in the final release during the fall of this year.

Apple has just released the public beta versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS Sequoia, and tvOS 18. The updated iPad, iPhone, and MAC operating systems will eventually include Apple Intelligence (AI) features and an updated Siri.

Public Beta Key Features

For now, the public betas bring not-so-exciting but useful features to the Apple devices. The following are a few key features.

iOS 18 features

• The iOS 18 beta offers key updates to the iPhone software’s functionality, a few customization options, and a more customizable Control Center.
• Users can change the size of a few widgets and convert app icons into widgets from the home screen without changing the home screen’s functionality.
• The customizable Control Center works similarly to the home screen. Users can change the position and size of controls and add controls other than the 23 they had previously access to. 
• Another useful feature of the public beta is the ability to hide and lock apps. Users can lock or hide their apps using a passcode or a Face ID. That said, users can hide only third-party apps and unlock certain iPhone apps. Apps like Maps and Contacts can’t be hidden.
• iOS 18 beta also allows users to schedule messages and add new text effects to messages, along with supporting RCS messaging.
• The beta allows users to transcribe the contents of audio files, such as meetings and lectures.
• The new Passwords app allows users to store not only passwords and passkeys but also verification codes. It can save deleted passwords for up to 30 days and show all the WiFi connections.

That said, the iOS 18 beta won’t have Apple Intelligence. The company is keeping its AI system’s features for future software betas, and it will be limited to iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max, and M1 and up iPads and Macs. Apple hasn’t announced Apple Intelligence for any of its other platforms.

Other public beta features

• iPadOS 18 public beta has similar updates. This beta also brings a native Calculator app to the iPad. Notes, too, is getting an upgrade as part of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.
• The watchOS 11 beta brings features like rest days and the company’s Vitals app, which provides glanceable details on the person’s overnight health metrics.
• For Macs, the macOS Sequoia beta, among other features, allows the user to mirror their iPhone on their screen.
• The tvOS 18 beta includes the InSight feature for Apple TV Plus content.

See more: Notepad’s Spellcheck and Autocorrect Features Are Finally Being Rolled Out To Windows 11 Users

Installing the Updates

While you can download these beta updates, it is recommended that you do not install them on your primary devices as they are still being tested. Further, if you have never installed a public beta earlier, visit the Apple Beta software program website and enroll your Apple account.

That being said, here is how you can download the betas:

1. iOS 18 beta

• Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone.
• Choose the option for “iOS 18 public beta”.
• Return to the Software Update screen, and you will see the option to install the beta software.

2. iPadOS 18 beta

• Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPad.
• Choose the option for “iPadOS 18 public beta”.
• Return to the Software Update screen, and you will see the option to install the beta software.

3. watchOS 11 beta

To install watchOS 11, you should already have updated your iPhone to iOS 18 beta and ensured your Apple Watch is paired to the phone.

• Navigate to General > Software Update
• Choose watchOS 11 public beta

Once this is done, the beta software should be available to download. That said, Apple Watch beta software is risky because you can’t downgrade it to watchOS 10 if the beta doesn’t work. Hence, it is recommended to avoid updating to the beta unless you are willing to risk being unable to use your Apple Watch for months.

How to Avoid Downloading Betas for Supervised Devices

While the release of betas is undoubtedly exciting for most users, many organizations may not be willing to update their supervised devices until the final updates are released, primarily due to the associated security risks. In such cases, organizations can prevent employees from downloading the public betas on supervised devices using a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution or Apple Configurator.

The following are the steps to prevent downloading the betas through Apple Configurator:

• Open the iOS Restrictions payload window.
• Deselect “Allow installing configuration profiles (supervised only)”.

Once this restriction is set, users can’t install profiles from websites or email messages, including those that enroll the device in the iOS Beta Software Program. Further, it prevents users from enabling beta updates in Settings.

Conclusion

This is the first public beta Apple has released for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS Sequoia, and tvOS 18. As such, expect some bugs and issues when you use them. Moreover, Apple may come out with beta versions before its final release in the fall of this year. As such, expect a few more features to be added or removed from future beta versions and the final release.

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