Apple wrapped up its iOS 18.3 beta cycle weeks ago, and normally new betas would have arrived already. But we’re still waiting for iOS 18.4 beta 1. Fortunately, the wait should be over soon.
iOS 18.4 beta 1 should arrive within the next week
Software releases at Apple follow a fairly predictable schedule, where new betas usually arrive within days of a big public software launch.
This time around, that hasn’t happened. iOS 18.3 launched at the end of January, yet here we are in mid-February still waiting for new betas.
The wait should be over soon though.
At the end of last week, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that he expected the iOS 18.4 beta to debut between the “middle of next week [this week] and early the following week.”
This week has passed with no beta. But early next week seems like a safe bet.
Monday, February 17 is President’s Day in the US, so don’t expect a beta release then.
Wednesday, February 19 is Apple’s special new product launch day. So we probably won’t see iOS 18.4 steal its thunder.
That means, if Gurman proves right, next Tuesday, February 18 is the likely iOS 18.4 beta release date.
It’s always possible it could slip to later in the week, but a release some time in the next week seems almost certain.
Why? Because Apple has already said iOS 18.4 would ship publicly in April. So it can’t wait much longer to start the beta testing period for the various Apple Intelligence and Siri upgrades that are coming.
Longer wait between betas is unusual, but not unprecedented
It is unusual for there to be three full weeks between beta drops, but it has actually happened once not long ago.
Here are the last three years of winter releases:
2024
- iOS 17.3 launch: Monday, January 22
- iOS 17.4 beta 1: Thursday, January 25
2023
- iOS 16.3 launch: Monday, January 23
- iOS 16.4 beta 1: Thursday, February 16
2022
- iOS 15.3 launch: Wednesday, January 26
- iOS 15.4 beta 1: Thursday, January 27
As you can see, more often Apple releases its new x.4 beta very shortly after x.3 ships. But in 2023, it diverged from that pattern.
And now the same is happening again this year.
When do you think iOS 18.4’s beta will arrive? Let us know in the comments.
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