Apple has introduced the eagerly anticipated first beta version of iOS 18.4 to developers. The company announced this milestone in a press release today, highlighting the advancements in Apple Intelligence.
Apple Intelligence, the personal assistant system designed to provide useful and pertinent insights, will soon support additional languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese — along with localized English for Singapore and India.
These new language options will be available globally with the upcoming releases of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4 in April, and developers can begin testing these updates today.
iOS 18.4 beta 1
Details about new features in iOS 18.4 beta 1 remain unclear. However, Apple is focusing on enhancing Siri through three major updates in conjunction with its Apple Intelligence initiative:
On-screen awareness:
Apple Intelligence equips Siri with on-screen awareness, enabling it to comprehend and interact with elements visible on your screen. For instance, if a friend sends you their new address, you could say, “Add this address to their contact card,” and Siri will handle it.
Personal context:
An understanding of your personal context allows Siri to assist you in uniquely tailored ways. If you can’t recall whether a friend shared a recipe via note, text, or email, or if you need your passport number for a flight reservation, Siri can leverage the information on your device to help locate what you need, all while ensuring your privacy is respected.
In-app actions:
Siri seamlessly facilitates actions within and across applications. For example, you could request, “Send the email I drafted to April and Lilly,” and Siri will know which email you mean and which app it’s in. Additionally, after enhancing a photo by asking, “Make this photo pop,” you can instruct Siri to save it in a specific note in the Notes app — without any manual effort.
However, recent reports from Bloomberg suggest that Apple might be experiencing delays in developing these features. It’s uncertain if any will be included in the first beta of iOS 18.4.
According to today’s press release from Apple:
Apple Intelligence will continue to evolve with new features in the coming months, including expanded capabilities for Siri.
Expect more information on the new features in iOS 18.4 shortly. In the meantime, did you notice any changes in today’s release of iOS 18.4 beta 1 or iPadOS 18.4 beta 1? Share your thoughts in the comments below, on Twitter @DMN, and on Threads @DMN. Stay tuned for our comprehensive coverage of the new releases right here at DMN today and throughout the week.
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