Sunday, December 22, 2024

Apple releases public betas for iOS 18, macOS, and more

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You can now download the public betas for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and watchOS 11. Apple’s updated operating systems will eventually include Apple Intelligence AI features and a better Siri — if you have the right device, that is. For now, the betas will bring less exciting but still useful features to the various Apple devices.

The public iOS 18 beta will bring with it key updates to the way the iPhone software works, including support for RCS messaging and new customization options that let users put apps wherever they want to on the homescreen (finally) or apply a tint to the icons and widgets. It also comes with a new layout for the Photos app, a redesigned, more customizable Control Center, and dark mode icons. Similar updates are in the iPadOS 18 public beta, which also brings a native Calculator app to the iPad.

The new watchOS 11 public beta introduces features like rest days and Apple’s Vitals app for glanceable details on your overnight health metrics. And for Macs, the Sequoia public beta enables the ability to mirror your iPhone on your screen, among other features.

One more thing to keep in mind: while you can roll back most of these devices to a stable, current version of their operating system, you can’t roll back the Apple Watch. You’ll have to wait for the stable version in the fall, so keep that in mind before you apply the beta to your Apple Watch. You can try out the public betas for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and others by enrolling in the Apple beta program. Check Apple’s website for each device’s installation instructions.

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