What to know

  • The first betas for iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 are out for developers to test on supported devices – iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad (M1 chip or newer).
  • Some of the Apple Intelligence features include writing tools, summaries for transcripts, an improved Siri, and more.
  • Developers need to request access to Apple Intelligence from Settings > Apple Intelligence to get the features. 
  • Several Apple Intelligence features are still not available in this beta, nor has a public beta been scheduled. 

Beta 1 for iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 is now out! Developers with supported devices can download the update and get started with testing the new Apple Intelligence features. These include the likes of ‘writing tools’ in several apps, summaries for transcripts, natural language search in Photos, a new and improved Siri, a few productivity features in Mail, Focus, and more. 

Currently, the list of supported devices is short. Only the following devices will get the iOS 18.1 update: iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad (with an M1 chip or newer). 

If you have any of the above, you can install the update without any issues. However, you’ll also need to request for access to Apple Intelligence before you can get the features. To do so, open the Settings app, go to the new Apple Intelligence menu, and tap on “Join the waitlist”. Once you receive a push notification, you can start using the new features. 

Do note that not all Apple Intelligence features are currently available on the beta. Apple is still developing several AI features, such as a ChatGPT integration, that won’t be available until later this year. There’s also currently no news on when a public beta for iOS 18.1 will be available for general users. Stay tuned for further updates!