iOS 18.1 public beta 3 now available, here’s what’s new

Apple has released iOS 18.1 public beta 3. The update brings Apple Intelligence to compatible devices, plus a handful of other assorted features. Here’s what’s new in today’s beta 3.

New changes available in beta 3

iOS 18.1’s variety of new features and changes are close to being locked in. We’re drawing nearer to the public launch, which means more of a focus on bug fixes and performance.

However, there are still a handful of notable changes arriving in today’s public beta 3:

• AirDrop and Satellite get standalone connectivity controls in Control Center
• also new to Control Center: Measure and Level controls tied to the Measure app
• sleep apnea detection with a compatible Apple Watch
• Apple Music feature for sharing to TikTok
• an app’s grouped notifications are now badged with a count of the total number in the stack
• splash screens highlighting Apple Mail’s AI features and App Store search
• tweaked designs for mic and camera indicator dots, Apple Intelligence writing tools icon in Notes, and more

The changes were first added in iOS 18.1 developer beta 6, as is Apple’s normal pattern.

As for features that were already available in previous betas, the highlight of iOS 18.1 is undoubtedly the first wave of Apple Intelligence features.

iOS 18.1 public beta availability

Apple launched the first public betas just a few weeks ago following an extended developer beta for iOS 18.1 earlier in the summer.

The beta 3 update is available now for members of the company’s public beta program. If your device is already enrolled in the program, you’ll see the new beta in the Software Update section of Settings. If not, you can enroll here to get a sneak peek at upcoming software features.

Apple is expected to ship iOS 18.1 to all users later this month, possibly on October 28. That means we likely only have about two more beta versions coming, at a pace of about one per week, before that public launch.

Have you discovered any additional changes in beta 3? Let us know in the comments.