Apple releases first iOS 11.3 public beta for iPhone and iPad

As promised yesterday, Apple has released the first iOS 11.3 public beta loaded with new features for iPhone and iPad. Apple previewed several new features yesterday prior to the first developer beta:

• 4 new Animoji on iPhone X: Lion, Skull, Bear, and Dragon
• ARKit 1.5 with support for vertical surfaces like walls, irregular shaped surfaces like circular tables, support for auto-focus, and 50% higher resolution
• Business Chat for iMessage in beta with Discover, Hilton, Lowe’s and Wells Fargo on board
• Health Records in Health app automatically updated from select partners
• More prominent music video features in Apple Music
• HomeKit software authentication without chip certification
• Advanced Mobile Location for sending your location to emergency services when calling from iPhone

Apple has also promised new battery features on iPhones affected by performance throttling, although these won’t be in the initial beta.

A toggle to disable performance throttling on affected iPhones with older batteries will be in a future beta next month, and battery health stats will be added as well.

Other new features include:

• Messages in iCloud
• New privacy page during setup (photo incoming) and a new Privacy icon in Settings (gray becomes blue)
• Splash screen for Messages in the Cloud, backup can be disabled in Settings
• iBooks is now just Books
• App Store lists version number and update size on Updates screen
• App Store following text size
• Hello, Feedback app…
• Apple TV shows up in Home app with tvOS 11.3, doesn’t work as hub for automation and remote access without tvOS 11.3 on iOS 11.3, AirPlay 2 also working 
• New ‘Confirm with Side Button’ prompt for purchases on iPhone X:

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