What to Expect from the iOS 18 Beta

With WWDC 2024 just a few weeks away, we want to run down some of the key things iPhone users can expect from Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 beta.

Apple’s annual developer event will run from June 10th to June 14th. WWDC 24 will take place online though Apple will host a special in-person event at Apple Park on June 10th.

Apple says the in-person experience on June 10th “will provide developers the opportunity to watch the keynote at Apple Park, meet with Apple team members, and take part in special activities.”

The company will use the keynote to showcase the latest versions of iOS for iPhone, iPadOS for iPad, macOS for Mac, watchOS for Apple Watch, tvOS for Apple TV, and visionOS for Vision Pro.

For the iPhone, that means iOS 18, an operating system that we’ve already heard a lot about. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman says internally, iOS 18 is viewed as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, iOS updates in the company’s history.

Now that we’re bearing down on Apple’s big reveal, we want to help set expectations for those looking to use iOS 18 on their iPhone.

Here’s what we expect from the iOS 18 beta.

iOS 18 Beta Release Date

Unless Apple handles this year differently, the first iOS 18 beta will become available to developers shortly after the conclusion of the keynote on June 10th.

iOS 18 Beta Release Time

The WWDC 2024 keynote kicks off at 10AM Pacific/1PM Eastern on June 10th. Apple hasn’t said how long it will last, but you can expect it to run for at least two hours.

Last year, Apple pushed the first iOS 17 beta to developers around 1PM Pacific. We expect the first iOS 18 beta to land around 1PM Pacific as well.

Public iOS 18 Beta

If you’ve used beta software for years, you already know this. If this will be your first time using beta software on your iPhone, here’s your PSA.

There are two versions of an iOS beta. One is for those in Apple’s developer program. There is also a public beta that the company makes available to anyone wanting to try pre-release software.

We expect the iOS 18 developer beta to drop on June 10th, but the first public iOS 18 beta will probably land weeks later. Apple typically pushes the first public beta in July.

Last year, the iOS 17 public beta landed on July 12th. Expect a similar gap this year.

iOS 18 Beta Eligible iPhones

When Apple announces iOS 18, it will confirm the iPhones eligible for the upgrade. And those will be the iPhones that take part in the beta process.

According to a source, all iOS 17-powered iPhone models will make the move to iOS 18. That means the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max should be included in the beta.

If this is true, here’s the full list of iOS 18 beta eligible iPhone models:

• iPhone 15
• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 14
• iPhone 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone SE (2nd generation)
• iPhone SE (3rd generation)

iOS 18 Beta Duration

The iOS 18 beta will stretch from the summer into the fall. Apple will release numerous versions, we expect six betas or more.

In the fall, Apple will confirm the iOS 18 release date and we expect it to arrive in September alongside the 2024 iPhone models, known right now as iPhone 16.

Ahead of the official release, Apple will push the iOS 18 GM or Golden Master. This will serve as the final version of the iOS 18 beta.

iOS 18 Beta Features

iOS 18 is expected to bring AI (Artificial Intelligence) upgrades to the iPhone. If you want to learn more about these features, head over to our guide.

There are two important things to keep in mind about the iOS 18 beta’s features. First, don’t expect the first iOS 18 beta to include everything Apple announces during the keynote.

The first beta will have a ton of upgrades, but Apple will roll out new features over the course of the beta process. It may even pull some features back.

We also expect some features to launch after iOS 18 arrives in the fall. These features will emerge with iOS 18 milestone upgrades (iOS 18 x.x) throughout 2024 and 2025.

And second, you can expect there to be limitations meaning, some iPhone models won’t get the full suite of iOS 18’s features.

Newer iPhone models like the iPhone 15 series will get the best feature set while older models may miss out.