Ahead of the release of the new iPhone 16 models, Apple has seeded the third beta of iOS 18.1 for the devices. iOS 18.1 beta 3 was actually released in late August for the iPhone 15 Pro models, but now there's a version for the iPhone 16 models. iOS 18.1 beta 3 for the iPhone 16 has a build number of 22B5034o, up from the 22B5034e version released for other devices.
iOS 18.1 introduces the first Apple Intelligence features, such as Writing Tools, Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode, notification summaries, and more, and it is expected to see a public launch in October. The initial launch version of iOS 18 will not include any Apple Intelligence features.
A version of iOS 18.1 available for the iPhone 16 models means people who are currently running iOS 18.1 on their iPhone 15 Pro will be able to transfer their iCloud backups when the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max launch next Friday. Transferring data from one iPhone to another requires that both devices run the same version of iOS, which can be a hassle when betas are involved.
Apple has likely provided iPhone 16 review models to media sites, so the early release of the beta will allow reviewers running iOS 18.1 to set up their test iPhone 16 devices.
iOS 18 will be released on Monday, but the iOS 18.1 beta testing process will continue on for several more weeks.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
