Today Apple has released the first public beta for iOS 18.1, the forthcoming software update that will bring Apple Intelligence features to compatible devices. Here are all the new features to expect.
Public beta brings Apple Intelligence to more users
Apple just shipped iOS 18 to millions of users around the world. But it’s been hard at work on iOS 18.1 for months now.
The first beta for iOS 18.1 arrived for developers over the summer, but before today it was exclusive to users with a developer account.
Now, anyone can download and install iOS 18.1 and get a preview of what’s coming to the iPhone next.
If you are already a member of the public beta program, you’ll see iOS 18.1 available in your iPhone’s software update section.
If you’re new to beta life, you’ll first want to enroll in Apple’s public beta program.
New features in iOS 18.1 public beta 1
The most significant new features in iOS 18.1, by far, are Apple’s long-awaited AI tools.
Apple Intelligence is included in the first iOS 18.1 public beta. It includes the following features:
- AI notification summaries
- writing tools that proofread and rewrite text
- the new, smarter Siri
- Clean Up in the Photos app
- Safari webpage summaries
- Memory movie creation
- and more
This is the first wave of Apple Intelligence features coming to the iPhone.
There’s no Genmoji or ChatGPT integration just yet, but those features will be coming later—likely in iOS 18.2.
Also note: no AI features are currently supported in the EU or China. Hopefully Apple is able to change that before the public release next month.
iPhone models that support Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence requires a compatible device. While you can install iOS 18.1 beta 1 on an older iPhone, it won’t let you access any of the AI capabilities at the center of the release.
Currently, the following iPhone models support Apple Intelligence:
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
If you don’t have any of the most modern iPhones, unfortunately you won’t get any AI features in this release. Sadly, that includes last year’s iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, as only 2023’s Pro models are included.
Without an AI-ready iPhone, you may be better off sticking with the current iOS 18.0 release to avoid any potential bugs in 18.1.
Have you installed the iOS 18.1 public beta? Let us know of any changes you find via the comments.
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