When leakers claimed that iOS 18 would be the biggest update to the iPhone operating system ever, expectations were understandably high. Luckily, when Apple previewed iOS 18 for the first time at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10, it lived up to the hype. The update is packed with cool features, especially the new Apple Intelligence suite, which uses AI and machine learning to transform how you use your iPhone. Plus, there’s a redesigned Home Screen and Control Center, a refreshed Settings app, and more.
You might be disappointed if you were excited to try all the new features in iOS 18 with the first developer beta. Many of the top features Apple announced at WWDC aren’t included in the initial release, and some won’t appear for a while. Before you decide to install iOS 18 developer beta 1, check if the feature you’re looking forward to is actually available yet.
5. Home App Improvements
Electricity usage monitoring will have to wait until later this year
Apple has two minor Home app updates coming with iOS 18, which will arrive later this year. The first update is for robot vacuums, adding support for “power control, cleaning mode, vacuum, mop, and charge status.” In the Home app, robot vacuums will work with automation, scenes, and Siri requests. The second update brings home electricity usage stats to the Home app, specifically for customers of Pacific Gas and Electric Company. This feature will show usage, prices, and peak/off-peak energy distributions, which is great for EV owners looking to charge their cars at the cheapest times.
4. Mail App
The redesign isn’t part of iOS 18 developer beta 1
This isn’t exciting, but iOS 18 will bring a redesigned Mail app. A new central UI with categories at the top, including a primary section for your most important emails. The app can now sort emails into categories by scanning their contents, such as receipts or newsletters. These sorting features and UI changes seem similar to what Gmail has had for a while, but we’ll need to see them in action to judge fully. This update is coming later this year and isn’t included in the iOS 18 developer beta 1.
3. RCS
Yes, your bubbles will still be green with RCS — no, you can’t use it yet
Apple announced last year that RCS messaging would come to the iPhone in 2024, and it confirmed at WWDC that this feature will arrive with iOS 18. However, it was barely mentioned during the keynote. There are a few tweaks in iOS 18 developer beta 1 to prepare for RCS messaging later. For instance, non-iMessages are now labeled as Text Message SMS instead of just Text Messages. Presumably, Text Message RCS will be the other option. You can’t send or receive RCS messages on iOS 18 developer beta 1. It’s also worth noting that RCS support depends partly on cellular carriers so that it might appear in a later beta. We don’t know yet.
2. iPhone Mirroring
You can’t use your iPhone from your Mac right now
Continuity between iPhones and Macs will get a boost this fall with the latest iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia versions. One of the standout features is iPhone Mirroring, which lets you control your iPhone directly from your Mac by displaying a Windows version of iOS 18 on your desktop. It’s a cool addition, but it’s not available yet. The new iPhone Mirroring app is hidden in macOS Sequoia, but it’s currently non-functional. We can expect it to appear in future macOS and iOS betas.
1. Apple Intelligence
Don’t hold your breath waiting for this one
Everyone is excited to try Apple Intelligence, but it’s also the feature we’ll have to wait the longest for. It’s set to launch in beta later this year and is not included in iOS 18 beta 1. So, the Siri you’re using in iOS 18 isn’t the upgraded version Apple showcased at WWDC. There’s no text generation, image generation, or OpenAI integration yet. According to a report from MacRumors, there are code references to a waitlist for Apple Intelligence in iOS 18. Still, it’s unclear if this will apply to beta testers or public users later this year. Either way, Apple Intelligence isn’t in iOS 18 developer beta 1 and likely won’t be for a while.
Should you install iOS 18 developer beta 1 without these features?
Even without the headline features, iOS 18 is still a solid upgrade. The operating system has small UI changes throughout, introducing glass morphism to iOS and mimicking the look of vision. The customizable Home Screen, revamped Control Center, and Lock Screen toggles are all notable improvements. However, we advise against installing iOS 18 developer beta 1 on your device — and we’d say the same even if all the new features were included. Beta software is often unstable, especially the first version.
