Today just hours after releasing iOS 18 developer beta 6, the companion public beta update is now available as public beta 4. New public betas for macOS Sequoia, iPadOS 18, and more have dropped too. Here’s what’s new in public beta 4.
Quick release for the new public beta
Apple historically has released the public betas about a day after a big developer beta release. However, the company has shirked tradition this time around and launched its new public betas in the same day.
iOS 18 public beta 4 includes a variety of new features, while also introducing bug fixes and stability improvements.
New features and changes in public beta 4
Apple Music has renamed its Browse tab to New, and rearranged the contents of the tab too. It’s a relatively small change, but noteworthy nonetheless.
One update that deserves a ‘finally’ is that there’s now a dedicated Bluetooth control available for Control Center. Previously, the only way to access Bluetooth settings from Control Center was to use the standard Connectivity control. That meant you had to also include the accompanying toggles for AirPlane mode, Wi-Fi, and AirDrop. But now, you can use a standalone Bluetooth control that takes up less space.
Dark mode app icons now display properly in notifications. In previous betas, notifications would still use the standard light mode app icons, even while in dark mode.
Speaking of app icons: if you like to set custom tinting for your app icons, you can now do so for each wallpaper/Lock Screen combo you have. App icon tinting can be customized for each different wallpaper you create.
Public beta 4 also features a variety of splash screens in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. These highlight some of the new features that are available in these new OS versions, but nothing that’s specifically new to this latest beta. You’ll see these in apps like Home, Photos, Notes, and more.
Wrap-up
If you are already running a prior public beta release on your device, you should see public beta 4 as a new download available in the Software Update section of Settings.
If you haven’t yet joined the public beta program, you can do so here as a first step toward installing the new beta.
Have you found other new features and changes in public beta 4? Let us know in the comments.
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