Apple Releases First Beta of iOS 18.4 With New Vision Pro App

Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a month after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3.

iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

iOS 18.4 includes a dedicated Apple Vision Pro app, which will show up on your iPhone if you have a Vision Pro headset that's also connected to your Apple Account. If you don't have a Vision Pro, it can be downloaded from the App Store.

The Vision Pro app is designed to help users find content, get help, and learn about new Vision Pro features. It includes tools for adding content to the Apple TV app to watch later, downloading apps remotely, and viewing information about the Vision Pro such as device serial number with a dedicated My Vision Pro section.

There is a dedicated Discover page that offers curated recommendations for new experiences that are available on Vision Pro. Users can see popular apps and games, a list of more than 300 3D movies, Apple Immersive videos, Vision Pro video content on the ‌Apple TV‌ app, and spatial photos, videos, and panoramas included in the new Spatial Gallery.

With a My Vision Pro page, users can find tips for getting the most out of the Vision Pro, and set up features like vision correction and Personalized Spatial Audio.

Guest setup for the Vision Pro can now be managed on the iPhone, which makes it easier for Vision Pro owners to allow others to test the headset. There are controls for limiting what apps a guest can access, along with an option to view what the guest user is doing for guidance purposes. When a guest user puts on the Vision Pro, a prompt to enable Guest Mode will appear on the headset owner's device.

Rumors suggested that iOS 18.4 would include new Apple Intelligence Siri features, but the new ‌Siri‌ options may be delayed. Apple is reportedly running into engineering problems and software bugs, and ‌Siri‌ is not yet working as intended, so there may be no new ‌Siri‌ features in the beta as of yet.

Apple has promised ‌Siri‌ will get personal context, on-screen awareness, and the ability to do more in and between apps. Apple also plans to expand ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to additional languages in the iOS 18.4 update, so the new language support could be available. We're also still waiting on Priority Notifications, another ‌Apple Intelligence‌ feature that Apple says is coming in the near future.

With testing starting in late February, iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 are expected to see a launch in April.