Alongside iOS 18.0, Apple is also currently beta testing iOS 18.1 with developers. Expected to be released sometime in October, iOS 18.1 includes new Apple Intelligence features plus a major change to the iPhone’s NFC chip. Here’s everything you need to know about iOS 18.1 so far.
Last updated August 30, 2024 with details on iOS 18.1 beta 3 changes.
Table of contents
iOS 18.1 adds Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence is Apple’s suite of artificial intelligence features, first announced at WWDC in June. These features will roll out over the next year, and the first set of Apple Intelligence capabilities is included in iOS 18.1.
Writing Tools
Using the new Writing Tools feature, users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text with just a few taps on their iPhone. Here are the available options in iOS 18.1:
- Rewrite
- Proofread
- Make Friendly
- Make Professional
- Make Concise
- Summarize
- Create Key Points
- Make List
- Make Table
Reduce Interruptions
Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus mode in iOS 18.1 that uses artificial intelligence to show you only notifications that require immediate attention, such as a text message indicating an early pickup from daycare. All other notifications will be silenced.
The Reduce Interruptions feature behaves just like other Focus modes in iOS, allowing you to set different apps and contacts from which you always want to receive notifications. This can be managed in the Settings app.
Photos app features
Multiple new Apple Intelligence features are available in the Photos app. Perhaps most notably, in iOS 18.1 beta 3, Apple added a new Clean Up feature to the Photos app. Clean Up lets you remove distracting objects and people from your photos with a single tap.
Second, you can now create memories on demand by simply typing a description. Apple Intelligence employs language and image understanding to select the most suitable photos and videos based on the provided description. It then constructs a storyline with chapters organized around themes extracted from the photos. Finally, these chapters are assembled into a movie with its own unique narrative arc.
Also in the Photos app, Apple Intelligence powers new natural language search capabilities, making it easier to find specific photos. The ability to search in videos is also more powerful, letting you find specific moments in clips and jump right to that relevant segment.
New Siri design and features
While most of Siri’s more significant upgrades won’t be available until later this year or next year, iOS 18.1 does include a few changes for Apple’s voice assistant. Most notably, iOS 18.1 introduces an all-new design for Siri with a glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when Siri is active.
iOS 18.1 also adds the ability to switch between text and voice for Siri by double-taping the home indicator at the bottom of your iPhone. Thanks to training based on Apple’s extensive support documentation, Siri can now give detailed answers to questions about Apple products and software.
Apple also says that Siri in iOS 18.1 is better at keeping up with you when you stumble over words or change your request midway through. It’s also better at maintaining context between multiple requests.
Mail app upgrades
iOS 18.1 includes multiple new Apple Intelligence features for the Mail app, alongside integration with other features such as Writing Tools.
First, the Mail app includes a new “Priority Messages” section at the top of the inbox, which shows your most urgent emails such as a same-day dinner invitation or boarding pass. Also in the inbox view, you’ll now see a summary of each message instead of just a preview of the first few lines of that email.
When looking directly at a message, iOS 18.1 adds a new “Summarize” button. A new “Smart Reply” feature provides suggestions for a quick response and will identify questions in an email to ensure everything is answered.
Transcription summaries
iOS 18.1 also brings advanced summaries support powered by Apple Intelligence. This feature is available in the Notes app, where you can get a summary of audio recordings. When you record a phone call in the Phone app, Apple Intelligence can also generate a summary of that recording.
Notification summaries
When you receive multiple notifications from Mail or Messages, Apple Intelligence automatically summarizes them so you can get a recap without having to tap and read every message.
Additionally, with iOS 18.1 beta 3, Apple expanded notification summaries to other Apple apps as well as all third-party apps. This means you can now use notification summaries for all apps and notifications on your iPhone. During the iOS 18.1 setup process, you’ll be asked to pick and choose which apps you’d like to use notification summaries.
NFC access for third-party apps
In addition to Apple Intelligence features, iOS 18.1 will also open up the iPhone’s NFC chip to third-party developers for the first time. This means that third-party developers will be able to access the iPhone’s NFC chip for contactless features in their apps, including:
- In-store payments
- Car keys
- Closed-loop transit
- Corporate badges
- Student IDs
- Home keys
- Hotel keys
- Merchant loyalty and rewards cards
- Event tickets
- Government IDs (coming at a later date)
Apple says that developers interested in accessing the iPhone’s NFC chip must “enter into a commercial agreement with Apple, request the NFC and SE entitlement, and pay the associated fees.” There aren’t any details about the fee structure available right now.
Note that while Apple says the functionality will launch in iOS 18.1, it will be up to third-party developers to adopt the new entitlement and add features to their apps. The feature will be available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the U.K., and the United States
How to install the iOS 18.1 beta
Currently, the iOS 18.1 beta is only available for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, as these are the only two currently available iPhone models that support Apple Intelligence. Eventually, Apple will release iOS 18.1 betas for other iPhone models—just without the Apple Intelligence features.
Apple also hasn’t released a public beta of iOS 18.1. Instead, the beta is currently only available to developer testers.
iOS 18.1 release date
With iOS 18.0 set for a release in September, the expectation is that iOS 18.1 and these features will be released in October. Here’s a timeline of when Apple has released previous point-one updates:
- iOS 17.1: October 25, 2023
- iOS 16.1: October 24, 2022
- iOS 15.1: October 25, 2021
- iOS 14.1: October 20, 2020
Apple will likely make more changes to iOS 18.1 during the ongoing beta testing process. We’ll update this guide with those changes.
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