On Monday, July 29, 2024, Apple rolled out iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 1, which includes the most awaited suite of AI-based features called “Apple Intelligence.” The developer beta adds several upgrades that the Cupertino-based tech giant showcased at the Worldwide Developer Conference 2024 (WWDC). In addition to general improvements, the update brings features like AI-powered writer, summarizer, contextual awareness for Siri (and a new UI), and many more. Let’s take a look at all the Apple Intelligence features released with iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 1.
iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 1 Availability
On July 25, 2024, we published an article about how Apple Intelligence could debut in a future developer beta, giving developers the month of August to utilize them and optimize their apps. In the report, we also mentioned that iOS 18 public beta users might have to wait a bit longer to get a glimpse of the new features everyone has been talking about. For now, Apple Intelligence is only available to those enrolled in the developer beta with access to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 developer beta is also rolling out for iPad users with M1 chips or newer.
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How To Enroll In Apple Developer Program?
Earlier, developer versions of iOS weren’t free. However, there’s a free tier of Apple Developer program, which allows users to download and use the developer beta. Before you start, make sure you keep your Apple ID credentials ready, including the email ID or phone number, and the password.
- Head to Apple’s developer website.
- Select Account in the top right.
- Sign in using your Apple ID.
- Go through the terms and conditions, and once you’re through, click on submit.
Doing this should provide you with access to iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 1. However, keep in mind that the dedicated tools for developers are only available with the paid tier of the program. Nonetheless, a regular user can still get hands on Apple Intelligence. Shortly after you sign up for the developer program, you should get access to iOS 18.1 Developer Beta.
- With the Apple ID that was used to register for the developer program, head to Settings > General > Sofware Update.
- Select Beta Updates, and then hit iOS 18 Developer Beta.
- Finally, go to the Software Update menu and hit “Download and Install” below the “iOS 18.1 Developer Beta” option.
- Enter the device’s passcode and follow the on-screen instructions to download the update.
Once eligible testers update to iOS 18.1, they can head to the Settings section, tap on the new Apple Intelligence menu, and then hit “Join the waitlist.” Following this, they should get a notification from Apple servers when the update is available.
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iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 1 New Features
First and foremost, iOS 18.1 sports new rewriting, proofreading, and text summarization features in apps like Mail, Notes, Pages, and even in third-party apps. Apple’s voice assistant, Siri, has received a big upgrade in iOS 18.1. Siri has a new user interface; the edges of the screen glow everytime users activate Siri. Further, users can easily switch between text and voice inputs for the assistant. With contextual awareness, Siri can now answer several questions related to iPhones, iPads, and Mac, making troubleshooting problems easier for users.
When using Apple Mail, users will notice a new section at the top of the inbox, which lists the most urgent emails. Further, the inbox now contains email summaries instead of the first few lines. Last but not least, Mail has got Smart Reply that provides suggestions for quick responses to email, similar to the feature on Google’s Gmail. Apple Intelligence can also identify questions in an email to ensure that users don’t miss on anything. Besides these features, there’s a new Focus mode that shows urgent notifications.
The Apple Photos app has received a ton of features as well. Going forward, iOS 18.1 users will be able to search for photos using natural language (similar to how they search for something on Google). Interestingly, users can also locate specific moments in videos using the Search in Videos feature. Last but not least, users can create a customized Apple Photos Memory by typing a description for it. Apple Intelligence will leverage its langauge and image understanding capabilities to pick the most suited photos/videos, and create a showreel with it.
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Does iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 1 Miss Out On Any Feature?
Yes, there are a couple of features that haven’t made the cut with iOS 18.1 Developer Beta. For instance, users don’t get Image Playground (text-to-image creation), Priority Notifications, and Genmoji. Further, the promised version of Siri with ChatGPT integration and on-screen awareness isn’t there yet. As mentioned earlier, the developer beta isn’t available for everyone, and users might have to wait for a public release to get their hands on Apple Intelligence.
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