Beta 7 of iOS 18.1 & iPadOS 18.1 Available for Testing
Apple has issued the seventh beta versions of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 for iPhone and iPad, respectively. Typically a MacOS Sequoia 15.1 beta soon follows as well.
iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 introduce the first Apple Intelligence AI features to compatible devices, and the emphasis should be on compatible devices because the supported hardware list for Apple Intelligence is very strict; only iPhone 15 Pro or better for iPhone, or M1 or better equipped Mac or iPad.
Initial Apple Intelligence features offer things like summarization of text and web pages, writing tools to rewrite things in concise or professional manners, smart replies in email and messages, and some new Siri functionality. More Apple Intelligence features will debut at later dates and with later system software updates to compatible devices.
How to Install iOS 18.1 Beta 7 and/or iPadOS 18.1 Beta 7
Assuming you’re enrolled in the beta testing programs, finding the latest beta release is easy:
- Open “Settings” and go to “General”
- Go to “Software Update”
- Select to update now for to iOS 18.1 beta 7 / iPadOS 18.1 beta 7
Remember, you must join the Apple Intelligence waitlist before you can access the AI features, but usually the approvals are basically immediate so you should be able to use the Apple Intelligence features pretty much right away on most devices that are running the betas. Go to System Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri to enable Apple Intelligence and join the waitlist on a device after you update it to iOS 18.1/iPadOS 18.1.
When does iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 with Apple Intelligence come out?
Apple is rumored to be updating the Mac and iPad lineup in the near future, and it’s likely that those devices will ship with the latest iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS updates preinstalled. Combined with this being the 7th beta build, it’s reasonable to conclude that final versions of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and MacOS Sequoia 15.1, will be released by the end of this month, or early next month.
