New in iOS 18.4 developer beta 1: Apple Intelligence changes, Vision Pro app, more

The first developer beta of iOS 18.4 features an entirely new system application, along with significant changes to Apple Intelligence and Apple News+. Here's what you need to know.

On Friday, Apple released the first developer beta of iOS 18.4, with build number 22E5200s. The software update comes more than a week after the iPhone maker released iOS 18.3.1 to the general public.

The iOS 18.4 update was widely rumored to contain improvements for Siri, it appears as though the planned upgrades for Apple's virtual assistant have been delayed. Instead, the software update includes some useful enhancements for Apple Intelligence and its associated features, among other changes.

In terms of compatibility, the first developer beta of iOS 18.4 can be installed on devices as old as the iPhone XR and iPhone XS. These two phones will gain access to a new food-related feed in the Apple News+ app and additional Control Center toggles, while Apple Intelligence remains exclusive to more recent iPhone models, such as the iPhone 16 range and iPhone 15 Pro.

Apple Intelligence: Localization support, Priority Notifications

At launch, Apple's generative AI features were only available in US English. The iOS 18.2 update offered additional options and made Apple Intelligence available in different regional varieties of English. Friday's iOS 18.4 developer beta takes this even further by adding support for localized English in India and Singapore.

Apple didn't stop there, though, as Apple Intelligence is now available in eight additional languages: Chinese (simplified), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. These languages are currently only available in the developer beta, but will make their way to the public in April.

Apple Intelligence as a whole received two more improvements: a new Sketch style for Image Playground and a feature known as "Priority Notifications," which moves important notifications into a separate section of the iOS Lock Screen.

Priority Notifications can be toggled from the Settings app by simply navigating to Notifications and enabling the setting labeled Prioritize Notifications. The feature was designed to help users manage their notifications by highlighting content Apple's AI software deems important.

The iOS 18.4 update also introduces a dedicated "Apple Vision Pro" application, which appears automatically for users who own the headset and have signed into their Apple Account with it. It is also available on the Apple App Store as a free download.

New Apple Vision Pro app in iOS 18.4

The application offers instructions on how to use the Apple Vision Pro and lets users access essential information about their headset, such as the serial number. Content recommendations are also available via a carefully curated list of titles and immersive experiences.

Within the app, a dedicated "Discover" section highlights the different apps, immersive videos, and games available for the Apple Vision Pro. According to Apple, there are over 300 3D movies available for the headset. Additional videos can be found via the Apple TV on visionOS, and users even have the option to upload their videos.

Content from the Spatial Gallery feature, introduced with the corresponding visionOS 2.4 developer beta, can also be viewed. This includes spatial videos and photos, which are now conveniently in one place.

The iPhone app lets users toggle a new Guest Mode, which makes it possible to test the headset without going through the entire setup process.

Apple News+ food content, Control Center toggles, more

Apple News+ received a new feed for recipes, restaurant reviews, and kitchen tips. It's worth pointing out, though, that this feature is not available to all users of iOS 18.4, as it requires an Apple News+ subscription.

The iOS 18.4 developer beta also brought with it a few minor enhancements, including a new set of Ambient Music controls for the Control Center. These can be used to open specific Apple Music playlists, with the available options being Chill, Productivity, Sleep, and Wellbeing. Users can manually configure the controls, and adjust the related playlists to their liking.

Friday's iOS 18.4 developer beta contains a variety of minor improvements, as well:

• Apple Maps — New "Preferred Language" option
• Apple Wallet — support for "My Number Card" in Japan
• CarPlay — third row of icons added
• Keyboard — The word "Genmoji" replaces the previously used icon
• MDM — Mobile Device Management can disable Apple Intelligence reports, email summaries, Smart Replies, and automated iPhone reboots
• Podcasts — Two new widgets: Library, which plays saved Content, and Shows
• Siri — Two new Australian voices
• Misc. — updated privacy indicator dots with a black background for enhanced contrast

None of these changes are particularly significant on their own, but they do offer insight into Apple's dedication and focus on end-user satisfaction. The same can be said for Apple's other platforms, which also received updates this week.

Changes on Apple Vision Pro, iPad, and Mac

Over on the iPad, the first developer beta of iPadOS 18.4 introduces support for Apple's on-device email categorization feature, powered by machine learning. The feature also finally made its way to the Mac with the macOS Sequoia 15.4 developer beta.

Previously, this was available only on iPhone, which is interesting given that Apple spent years working on the project, known during development by the codename BlackPearl. It was released to the general public with the iOS 18.2 update.

The Apple Vision Pro undoubtedly received the most significant update this week. The visionOS 2.4 developer beta introduces support for Apple Intelligence, meaning that owners of the headset now finally have access to Apple's AI features. This includes features such as Writing Tools, Image Playground, Genmoji, and more.

It's worth pointing out, however, that visionOS 2.4 is still early in the release cycle, being only on its first developer beta. Apple plans to release the update to the general public in April 2025, making Apple Intelligence available to all Apple Vision Pro users.