iOS 18 might come sooner than people expect, and it keeps getting better.
Image Source: Apple
iOS 18 Beta 4 was released on July 23, 2024, and despite missing the Apple Intelligence, some new features were released in the Beta 4 version, along with bug fixes and tweaks. To access iOS 18 Beta 4, you must enroll in Apple’s developer program.
How to join Apple’s developer program?
Unlike the Android version, where you only need to do a few steps in the settings menu, becoming a developer on Apple devices isn’t free like Android, and the process is much more complex. You need to pay $99/year to join Apple’s developer program as an individual or $299/year if you want to participate on behalf of the company (enterprise version).
Image source: Brandon Butch
Once registered, you can access iOS 18 Beta 4 on your iPhone via these steps. Keep in mind that non-developer users can’t see the Beta 4 update.
Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Update
What’s new in iOS 18 Beta 4?
Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for. Some features become unavailable, such as the missing music toggle in Beta 4 in the control center and lock screen, but Beta 4 brought more features than bugs, so you don’t need to worry, especially when iOS 18 is still in the beta version, not the public version.
- Iphone Mirroring is now scalable in MacOS Sequoia
In previous updates, developers could access iPhone Mirroring, and it was working smoothly, but they couldn’t resize the iPhone Mirroring size. Beta 4 fixed that issue by adding three options: Larger, Actual Size, and Smaller. Although it’s not as flexible as resizing apps in Windows or Linux, it’s enough to solve the resizing issue in iPhone Mirroring.
However, you also need to update into the latest Beta version of MacOS Sequoia to access iPhone Mirroring.
iPhone Mirroring is now scalable in MacOS Sequoia Beta 4 (Image source: Brandon Butch)
- Save your previously used camera tools with “Controls Menu”
As a photographer, this feature is helpful in saving time. Instead of repeating the same steps to set the camera tools every time they open the camera, they can now save those camera tools by using the “Controls Menu.” Here’s how to enable that feature.
Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings > Enable the “Controls Menu” by toggling that feature. If that setting is toggled green, the “Controls Menu” is turned on.
Controls Menu is iOS 18 Beta 4, which is now accessible in Settings (Image Source: 9TO5Mac) - New 8 wallpapers in CarPlay
As the name itself, CarPlay allows you to use your iPhone safely while driving in the car. Thanks to Siri, drivers only need to use their voice to do specific commands like receive and send messages, ask for route directions, make calls, or listen to some music.
Although iPhone testers still can’t use their photos as the wallpaper for CarPlay, Apple provides the refreshment by adding new 8 wallpapers, however some old wallpapers from previous updates are also removed as well. You can access those new 8 CarPlay wallpapers here.
- Tweaked ‘Hidden Apps’ interface
In iOS 18 Beta 3, the ‘hidden apps’ are marked with the eye with a cross line with the folder named Hidden. In iOS 18 Beta 4, Apple removed that eye and used a simpler hidden folder.
The ‘Hidden Apps’ folder became simpler but also somewhat slightly harder to notice in iOS 18 Beta 4 (Image Source: 9TO5Mac) - RCS (Rich Communication Services) is now available in specific carriers
iPhone users with specific carriers, such as Fido Canada, Orange Spain, Orange UK, Rogers Canada, T-Mobile UK, Vodafone Spain, and Yoigo Spain, can now use RCS on their iPhone.
There are other minor tweaks as well, such as a redesigned iPhone Mirroring icon on the lock screen and new Flashlight UI, which was exclusively only available on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro, is now available on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. Compared with
Closing Words
iOS 18 Beta 4 brought another excitement for iPhone users and it’s very likely iOS 18 will be available to the public this year. You also can read iOS 18 Beta 2 and Beta 3 here.
