iOS 18.0 or iOS 18.1 beta? Here’s what’s different

Last week, Apple released the first beta of iOS 18.1, even though iOS 18.0 has not yet been officially released to the public. Despite this, the company is still testing new versions of iOS 18.0 — which has left some users confused. Read on to find out what changes have happened between these betas and which one you should install.

iOS 18 Features

iOS 18 was announced in June at WWDC 2024 with a slew of new features. This includes things like new Home screen customization options, a redesigned Photos app, a customizable Control Center, RCS on iPhone, and more. Apple also announced Apple Intelligence, its own AI toolset for iPhone and iPad.

Apple typically releases new versions of iOS to the public in September, three months after beta testing. While that remains the plan for this year, the company has encountered some setbacks when it comes to Apple Intelligence.

Apple Intelligence features won’t be ready for release in September. Instead, some of them will be released later. However, Apple wants developers to have a chance to experiment with Apple Intelligence tools before they’re released to the public in the fall. That’s where the iOS 18.1 beta comes in.

Apple Intelligence Preview

The iOS 18.1 beta introduced a preview of Apple Intelligence features. So far, it includes the ability to create Photo Memories using text entries, natural search in the Photos app, summarizing text, emails, and notifications, and a writing tool.

The new Siri interface is also available, but support for large language models (LLM) and integration with third-party apps and ChatGPT remain unavailable.

Essentially, the only difference between iOS 18.1 beta 1 and iOS 18.0 beta 4 was Apple Intelligence. Because of that, iOS 18.1 beta is only available for devices that are compatible with AI features (like the iPhone 15 Pro). However, Apple is still putting the finishing touches on iOS 18.0 before its official launch next month.

The company released the fifth beta of iOS 18.0 on Monday and introduced several new features, such as Distraction Control for Safari and more changes to the Photos app. However, these have not yet been added to the iOS 18.1 beta.

iOS 18.0 beta or iOS 18.1 beta: what’s the difference?

Again, iOS 18.0 will be released next month, while the iOS 18.1 beta is aimed at developers who want to try out Apple Intelligence. It’s no surprise that Apple will prioritize finishing iOS 18.0 with more frequent updates, since iOS 18.1 won’t be released until at least October.

Here’s what you’ll get with each update:

iOS 18.0 beta:

• Updates every week
• More stable versions
• Public beta
• Some additional features

iOS 18.1 beta:

• Less frequent updates
• Available for developers only
• Apple Intelligence Preview
• Requires specific devices

Of course, as soon as iOS 18.0 becomes publicly available, Apple will release a beta version of iOS 18.1 for all devices, combining features added in iOS 18.0. The changes to the Photos and Distraction Control apps will likely be added to the iOS 18.1 beta soon.

If you’re wondering which beta you should install, consider whether you really want to try out Apple Intelligence. Otherwise, we recommend sticking with the iOS 18.0 beta.

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