Apple today released the first public betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, tvOS 18, and watchOS 11, allowing non-developers to try Apple’s upcoming new operating systems for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch, respectively.
Apple has seeded three developer betas of the operating systems so far, and the first public beta contains the same content and features that are in the third developer betas.
iOS 18 and iPadOS 18
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program can download the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates by opening the Settings app, going to “General,” tapping on the “Software Update” section and turning on the iOS 18 Public Beta option.
iOS 18 brings the largest redesign of the Photos app, messaging via satellite, new mailbox management features for the Mail app, and much, much more. iPhone users will be able to rearrange apps and widgets in any open space on the iOS 18 Home Screen, customize the buttons that appear on the Lock Screen, and more.
A dedicated Passwords app is available for logins, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes. Users can now also lock and hide apps, requiring secondary Face ID or Touch ID authentication to open or unhide, even when your iPhone is unlocked.
iOS 18 also introduces Apple Intelligence, the artificial intelligence system that will be available in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. Apple Intelligence is built with privacy in mind, and it can understand and create text and images, draw from personal context, and simplify and accelerate daily tasks. Apple Intelligence is not yet available. It is expected to be available in a beta release later this year.
macOS Sequoia
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program can download and install the macOS Sequoia from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app and opting into the public beta under the Beta Updates section.
macOS Sequoia brings several new features to the venerable operating system.
iPhone Mirroring allows users to fully control their iPhones via their Mac, providing access to apps, interacting with notifications, and more. A user’s custom wallpaper and icons appear just like on their iPhone, and they can swipe between pages on their Home Screen, or launch and browse any of their favorite apps. The keyboard, trackpad, and mouse on Mac also let a user interact with their iPhone, and audio even comes through. Users can seamlessly drag and drop between iPhone and Mac, and a user’s iPhone remains locked, so nobody else can access or see what the user is doing. It also works great with StandBy, which stays visible, so users can get information at a glance. Additionally, users can review and respond to iPhone notifications directly from their Mac.
All of the Apple Intelligence features coming to iOS 18 will also be available in macOS Sequoia, but Apple does not plan to add these until later in the beta testing process.
watchOS 11
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program can install watchOS 11 after upgrading their iPhone to the public beta version of iOS 18. The public beta can be installed by opening up the Watch app on iPhone, going to “General,” selecting “Software Update,” and choosing the watchOS 11 Public Beta option under “Beta Updates.”
watchOS 11 brings several new features to the Apple Watch.
The new Vitals app allows users to quickly view several key health metrics and gain better context when it comes to their health. Apple Watch measures important health metrics during sleep: heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, sleep duration, and blood oxygen. Users can now check in on their daily health status while also exploring noteworthy metrics at a glance, easily seeing when they are out of a user’s typical range. When two or more metrics are out of their typical range, users can receive a notification, as well as a message detailing how the changes in these specific metrics may be linked to other aspects of their life, such as elevation changes, alcohol consumption, or even illness.
Activity rings are now more customizable, while the Apple Watch and the Health app on iPhone and iPad offer additional support for users who are pregnant. Check In, the Translate app, and new capabilities for the double tap gesture come to Apple Watch for added connectivity and convenience.
The Smart Stack has been updated with new widgets and support for Live Activities and Translate, plus it is better able to suggest widgets based on time and daily routine. The Photos watch face includes suggestions for the best images to use, and the Check In safety feature now works with Workouts.
tvOS 18
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program can install the tvOS 18 public beta by opening up the Settings app on Apple TV, clicking on the “Software Updates” section under “System,” and then toggling on the “Get Public Beta Updates” option.
The tvOS 18 beta is compatible with the Apple TV 4K (1st and 2nd generation) and the Apple TV HD. The new beta can be downloaded to a compatible Apple TV that has the proper profile installed, which can be done by downloading it onto the Apple TV using Xcode.
tvOS 18 brings a new InSight feature to the TV app, providing real-time information about actors, music, and more in Apple TV+ shows and music, much like the X-Ray feature in Amazon Prime Video. Viewers can also see InSight information on their iPhone when using it as an Apple TV remote.
Enhance Dialogue gets smarter with tvOS 18, leveraging machine learning and computational audio to deliver greater vocal clarity over music, action, and background noise on Apple TV 4K. In addition to HomePod speakers, users can now enjoy Enhance Dialogue when listening through built-in TV or HDMI-connected speakers, AirPods, and other Bluetooth-connected devices, and when playing supported content on iPhones and iPads.
Subtitles will now show up automatically when relevant, such as when the TV’s volume is muted, a show or movie is rewound, or when the language of a show doesn’t match the device language.
tvOS 18 also brings 21:9 support for playing movies and shows on projectors, and offers new screen savers like Portraits, TV and Movies, and even Snoopy.
Public Beta Enrollment
From the Apple Public Beta Website:
New public betas for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, tvOS 18, HomePod software 18 and watchOS 11 are coming soon. As a member of the Apple Beta Software Program, you can take part in shaping Apple software by test-driving pre-release versions and letting us know what you think.
Here’s how to enroll in Apple’s Public Beta Tester Program:
- Visit beta.apple.com on your Apple device
- Click or tap the blue “Sign Up” button.
- Sign in with your Apple ID
- Read the Beta Software Program Agreement]
- Click or tap the blue “Agree” button
- Follow the guide for downloading and installing beta updates on your device of choice
MacTrast and Apple both warn users not to install any betas on their daily driver devices. Instead, only install betas on a device set aside for testing purposes.
