iOS 18 Beta 2 Released - What's New?

Summary

In this video, Brandon discusses the release of iOS 18 beta 2, highlighting its key features and updates. He covers improvements such as the new dark mode App Store icon, changes to the control center, and iPhone mirroring with Mac integration. Other notable updates include a new RCS messaging toggle, enhanced search in control center, and various bug fixes. Brandon also mentions upcoming changes and provides insights on when to expect future beta releases. Viewers are encouraged to stay tuned for more detailed updates in his upcoming videos.

Takeaways

• 📱 Apple released multiple OS beta updates including iOS 18 beta 2, iPadOS 18 beta 2, watchOS 11 beta 2, macOS Sequoia beta 2, tvOS 18 beta 2, and visionOS 2 beta 2.
• 🔄 The iOS 18 beta 2 update size was approximately 1.44 GB, indicating a significant update from iOS 18 beta 1.
• 🆕 iOS 18 beta 2 introduced a dark mode icon for the App Store and minor changes to the Control Center, including a new power icon interaction method.
• 🎵 The Shazam icon in the Control Center was updated for a simpler interface, and the search functionality was improved for better accuracy in finding settings.
• 📶 Modem firmware was updated from version 2.1.0 to 2.3.0, which could resolve connectivity issues.
• 🔄 iPhone mirroring feature allows Mac users to control and see notifications from their iPhone when it's locked.
• 📲 RCS messaging received a toggle in iOS 18 beta 2, but it is not yet fully functional.
• 📺 SharePlay and screen sharing features were supposed to be included, but they were not working in the beta 2 release.
• 🌙 Dark mode icons are now displayed in the settings for apps like Calendar, Contacts, Health, and HomeKit.
• 🤖 Siri's description in settings has been updated, and the 'press side button for Siri' option is missing, indicating changes to Siri's functionality.
• 📊 Geekbench scores showed a lower multicore performance after the update, likely due to initial syncing and backup processes.

Q & A

What operating system updates did Apple release along with iOS 18 beta 2?

Along with iOS 18 beta 2, Apple also released iPad OS 18 beta 2, watch OS 11 beta 2, Mac OS Sequoia beta 2, tvOS 18 beta 2, and vision OS 2 beta 2.

What is the approximate size of the iOS 18 beta 2 update?

The size of the iOS 18 beta 2 update is just under 1.44 GB.

What is the new build number for iOS 18 beta 2?

The new build number for iOS 18 beta 2 is 22A5297F.

What changes were made to the App Store icon in iOS 18 beta 2?

In iOS 18 beta 2, the App Store icon now has a dark mode version to match the other first-party applications.

How has the control center been updated in iOS 18 beta 2?

The control center in iOS 18 beta 2 has a few updates, including a change to the power icon functionality, a simpler menu for the Shazam icon, improved search functionality, and a new glyph icon for hover text.

What is iPhone mirroring and how does it work?

iPhone mirroring is a feature that allows users to control and see notifications from their Mac on their locked iPhone. It's part of the iOS 18 and Mac OS Sequoia updates and can be managed through the AirPlay and continuity settings.

Is RCS messaging fully functional in iOS 18 beta 2?

No, RCS messaging is not fully functional in iOS 18 beta 2. Although there is a toggle for it in the settings, it has not been working as expected in tests.

What issues were resolved with the camera functions in iOS 18 beta 2?

iOS 18 beta 2 resolved issues where the portrait capture might take longer than expected to finish and camera functions might take up to 2 minutes to work after booting an iPhone or iPad.

What is the current state of screen time functionality in iOS 18 beta 2?

Screen time is currently broken in iOS 18 beta 2. Attempting to access it causes the settings to freeze and eventually crash back to the home screen.

When can we expect the next iOS 18 developer beta?

The next iOS 18 developer beta, beta 3, is expected to be released around July 8th or 9th, based on the typical release schedule.

Are there any indications of Apple intelligence features in iOS 18 beta 2?

No, there are no new or relevant features related to Apple intelligence in iOS 18 beta 2. However, some Siri changes and the new Siri UI are expected to appear in later betas.

Outlines

00:00

📱 iOS 18 Beta 2 Release and Features Overview

Brandon introduces the release of iOS 18 beta 2, alongside updates for iPad OS, watch OS, Mac OS, tvOS, and vision OS. He highlights the significant size of the update, the new build number, and modem firmware version. Notable changes include a dark mode icon for the App Store, adjustments to the control center, improved search functionality, and iPhone mirroring, which allows users to control and receive notifications from a nearby Mac on a locked iPhone. Despite some features like RCS messaging and SharePlay not being fully functional, the video provides a comprehensive look at the new and updated features in iOS 18 beta 2.

05:00

🔄 Exploring Additional Features and Bug Fixes in iOS 18 Beta 2

The script delves into further details of iOS 18 beta 2, discussing the new toggle for RCS messaging, which is not yet fully functional, and the absence of SharePlay screen sharing. It mentions changes in settings, such as the appearance of dark mode icons and updates to Siri's description. The video also covers bug fixes related to the camera and control center, as well as issues that remain unresolved, like problems with screen time functionality. The script notes the absence of new Siri UI in this beta and hints at upcoming features in later betas.

10:01

📊 Geekbench Scores and Beta 2 Performance Insights

The script discusses the performance of iOS 18 beta 2, as measured by Geekbench scores, which showed a drop in multicore performance possibly due to iCloud syncing activities. It also addresses the known issues detailed in the release notes, including visual bugs and problems with the home screen interface. The video mentions fixes for certain camera functions and control center widgets, but notes that the Emoji tapbacks in group chats are now broken in beta 2. The script provides an expected timeline for the next beta release and speculates on when public beta testers can expect access to iOS 18 beta.

15:02

🔍 Anticipating Future Updates and Wrapping Up iOS 18 Beta 2 Discussion

In the final paragraph, the script sets expectations for the gradual introduction of Apple intelligence features, with significant AI updates expected in 2025. It acknowledges that while beta 2 does not include new Siri UI or related intelligence features, they are anticipated in subsequent beta releases. The script concludes by expressing intent to explore and share more changes found in iOS 18 beta 2 in an upcoming 'Apple weekly' episode, and it invites viewers to subscribe for updates on iOS 18 beta releases.

Keywords

💡iOS 18 beta 2

iOS 18 beta 2 refers to the second pre-release version of the iOS 18 operating system, which is Apple's mobile operating system used on iPhones and iPads. In the video, the presenter discusses the release of this beta version, highlighting its size, new features, and changes from the previous beta 1. The script mentions the update size of 1.44 GB, indicating a significant update from the previous version.

💡Control Center

The Control Center is a feature in iOS that allows users to access various settings and controls quickly. The video script describes changes to the Control Center in iOS 18 beta 2, such as a new animation for the power icon and an improved search function for control center toggles. These changes are part of the update's new features, aiming to enhance user experience and functionality.

💡App Store Icon

The App Store icon is the visual representation of the Apple App Store application on iOS devices. In the script, the presenter notes the introduction of a dark mode icon for the App Store in iOS 18 beta 2, which aligns with the system's dark mode setting and other first-party applications that have dark mode icons, enhancing visual consistency.

💡iPhone Mirroring

iPhone Mirroring is a feature that allows users to control and see notifications from their Mac on their locked iPhone. The video script explains this as one of the significant new features in iOS 18 beta 2 and Mac OS Sequoia. It exemplifies Apple's efforts to integrate cross-device functionality, providing a seamless user experience across its ecosystem.

💡RCF Messaging

RCF Messaging, or Rich Communication Services for Messaging, is a protocol that enables advanced messaging features like high-quality images and group chats. The script mentions the addition of an RCS toggle in iOS 18 beta 2 settings, indicating Apple's adoption of this standard, although it notes that the feature is not fully functional in the beta version discussed.

💡SharePlay

SharePlay is a feature that allows users to share their screen or control another user's screen during a FaceTime call. The video mentions that SharePlay was supposed to be included in iOS 18 beta 2, but the presenter was unable to get it to work, indicating that it might still be in the development phase or experiencing bugs in this beta release.

💡Dark Mode

Dark Mode is a system setting that changes the color scheme of the interface to a darker palette, often used to reduce eye strain or save battery on OLED screens. The script discusses the update of dark mode icons in various settings and applications, showing Apple's commitment to a cohesive and visually appealing dark mode experience.

💡Siri

Siri is Apple's voice-activated intelligent assistant. The video script notes that there is no new Siri animation in iOS 18 beta 2, but there are changes in the Siri settings, such as a new description and the removal of the 'press side button for Siri' option. These changes hint at potential updates to Siri's functionality or user interface in future releases.

💡Geekbench Scores

Geekbench Scores are benchmark results from the Geekbench software, which measures the performance of a device's processor. The script mentions the presenter's Geekbench test results after installing iOS 18 beta 2, noting a lower multicore score compared to a previous test, possibly due to factors like iCloud syncing, which can affect performance temporarily.

💡Beta Testing

Beta Testing is the phase of software development where the software is released to a select group of users to identify and fix bugs before the final release. The video discusses the release of iOS 18 beta 2 to developers and the expected timeline for subsequent beta versions and the first public beta, illustrating the iterative process of software development and refinement.

💡Apple Intelligence Features

Apple Intelligence Features refer to advanced AI and machine learning capabilities that Apple is expected to integrate into its software. The script notes that while there are no visible Apple intelligence features in iOS 18 beta 2, viewers can expect to see new Siri UI and other Siri-related changes in later betas, indicating the gradual rollout of these advanced features.

Highlights

Apple released iOS 18 beta 2 along with iPad OS 18 beta 2, watch OS 11 beta 2, Mac OS Sequoia beta 2, tvOS 18 beta 2, and vision OS 2 beta 2.

iOS 18 beta 2 update size is approximately 1.44 GB, indicating a significant update from beta 1.

New build number 22A5297F for iOS 18 beta 2, changing from 'm' to 'F' in the build number sequence.

Modem firmware update from 2.1.0 to 2.3.0, potentially resolving cell connectivity issues.

Dark mode icon introduced for the App Store in iOS 18 beta 2.

Control Center updates include changes to the power icon functionality to prevent accidental device shutdowns.

Shazam icon and menu simplification in the Control Center.

Improved search functionality in the Control Center for adding toggles.

Personal hotspot glyph icon updated with a slash in iOS 18 beta 2.

New glyph icon introduced in the customize menu of the Control Center.

iPhone mirroring feature allows control and notification viewing from a Mac when the iPhone is locked.

RCS messaging toggle added in iOS 18 beta 2, but not yet fully functional.

Shareplay and screen sharing features are included in iOS 18 beta 2 but not operational in this review.

Dark mode icons now appear in settings for default app icons when in dark mode.

Siri description and settings have been updated but lack the new Siri animation in beta 2.

iPad OS 18 beta 2 includes alternative app stores and other EU regulatory changes.

Music haptics icon color changed from blue to red in accessibility settings.

New warning message in display and brightness settings regarding energy usage when autolock is set to never.

Known issues and bug fixes listed in the release notes, including fixes for control center and camera functions.

Geekbench scores showed a lower multicore performance after updating to iOS 18 beta 2, likely due to iCloud syncing.

Screen time functionality is broken in iOS 18 beta 2, with settings freezing and crashing.

Next iOS 18 developer beta expected around July 8th or 9th, with the first public beta following shortly after.

No new features related to Apple intelligence in beta 2, but expected in later betas leading up to the final iOS 18 update.

Transcripts

what's up guys my name is Brandon and

today Apple released iOS 18 beta 2 for

registered developers and soon to public

beta testers now along with this release

Apple also released iPad OS 18 beta 2

watch OS 11 beta 2 Mac OS sequia beta 2

tvos 18 beta 2 and vision os2 beta 2 but

of course in this video we are focusing

primarily on iOS and iPad OS 18 beta 2

so you can see the size of this update

came in at just under 1 and2 GB on my 15

Pro Max so I would expect a pretty large

update even coming from IOS 18 beta 1 so

1.44 GB let's check out the new build

number for this update and our settings

General about the new build is 22A 5297

F so we went from an m at the end of the

build number in beta 1 to an F here in

beta 2 and if we go down to the modem

firmware we also received a pretty large

update here as well so we went from

2.1.0 to

2.3.0 so a nice update if you were

struggling with cell connectivity or

anything related to the modem that could

be resolved with beta 2 okay so now

what's new here in iOS 18 beta 2 and the

first thing you'll probably notice just

from looking at my home screen is one of

my top complaints that I've talked about

in every iOS 18 video so far and that is

the App Store icon so we finally have a

dark mode icon for the App Store to go

along with all of the other first-party

dark applications we also have a slight

change to the control center so if you

swipe down to go to the control center

and you tap on the power icon in the top

right you'll notice that nothing happens

whereas before in beta 1 if you tapped

on that it would go ahead and prompt you

to turn off your device so I believe

that this is not a bug I believe this is

intentional that way we can prevent

accidental Taps of the power icon there

so I've actually you know put my device

into that mode it locks it many times so

now you have to press and hold on the

power icon and you will see you have a

little animation there and then it

prompts you to slide to power off and

while we're in that control center

there's also a slight change to the

Shazam icon so the recognize music

toggle before when you hatic pressed on

that icon you had this little menu but

now if you havep to press on that icon

you get a much more simple menu than we

had previously also in the control

center you'll notice that in beta 1 the

hover text icon was just blank but now

it should shows the glyph for hover text

and then also the search is much better

in control center now so when you search

for something like personal hotspot for

example it does not pull up airplane

mode cellular data all of that it pulls

up just personal hotspot like you were

searching for so it seems like search

has been improved for adding control

center toggles and also the personal

hotspot glyph icon has changed as well

so there's now a slash through the

personal hotspot whereas before it just

showed as to chains linking on the home

screen if you have to press and then go

to edit up in the top left and then go

to customize you'll see that we have a

new glyph icon to the right of customize

so it's now a brush over top of an

iPhone whereas before it was just a

paintbrush also in the top left of this

section we have the little sun right

there which changes the brightness of

the background from light and dark mode

and you can now do that from the

automatic section before that was there

but you could only do it I believe when

you were in dark mode so now you can do

it no matter which one of these options

you select iOS 18 beta 2 also brings

iPhone mirroring which is one of the

biggest features included in iOS 18 and

especially Mac OS Sequoia so what this

does is it allows you to control and see

notifications from your Mac when your

iPhone is locked so you can go into your

settings and then into General and then

AirPlay and continuity and you'll notice

that we have a new section here for

iPhone mirroring and it says this allows

you to use your iPhone and receive

iPhone notifications from your nearby

Mac so when you into there that's where

you can see a list of devices or Macs

that are able to you know control your

iPhone when it's locked and you can see

that my iPhone is mirroring to my Mac

right here when my iPhone is locked and

I'm able to control the iPhone from my

Mac which is that that alone is awesome

and you can go to the home screen with

this button and into the app switcher as

well you can receive notifications on

your Mac when you get them on your

iPhone you get a nice little sound to go

along with that as well it's pretty

awesome I will say like it's not fully

there yet you can't drag and drop things

at least I've not been able to get that

to work so it's not fully functional yet

of course it is still a beta this is the

first beta that we've seen that

introduced but it's pretty awesome and I

can really see myself using this all the

time and this is the notification you'll

see on the lock screen of the iPhone

that's currently being mirrored to the

mac and you'll also see this once you're

done mirroring so it says iPhone was

used from Mac and then you can go into

settings and maybe remove that device if

it was not a device that you maybe

wanted it to be connected to and if you

guys want to see a full video on iPhone

mirroring with the iPhone and the Mac

let me know in a comment down below

because I think it's really useful for

typing out long emails and just I don't

know using a mouse on the keyboard for

your iPhone is pretty cool especially

when it's already on your Mac so let me

know if you want to see that video now

another big change in iOS 18 beta 2 is

this new toggle under settings messages

and under the text messaging setting

you'll notice that there's a new toggle

for RCF messaging so yes RCS now has a

toggle in iOS 18 beta 2 however I have

not been able to get this to work so

Apple actually mentions in the release

notes they say this existing RCS one:1

or group chats will downgrade to SMS

even if RCS is still registered so it

looks like RCS is there as a toggle but

it's not fully functional just yet I

have tested this multiple times and I've

tried Force quitting out of the messages

application which Apple says is a

workaround for this bug but I still you

know had people tell me that the video

quality is bad when I sent it to their

Android device so RCS hopefully we see

that very soon but as of now not fully

functional in beta 2 now iOS 18 beta 2

was also supposed to bring shareplay

screen sharing but I've not been able to

get that to work so what this is is if

you FaceTime somebody and you share your

screen or they share their screen you

can control their iPhone from your

iPhone so this is great if you maybe

have grandparents who need help with

something and you know they call you and

you can control their iPhone and perform

the task for them so I've not been able

to get this to work but it is supposedly

in iOS 18 beta 2 and if you head into

the settings and go anywhere where you

have default app icons showing so for

example in the privacy and security

section and then you change your phone

into dark mode so if you go into dark

mode on both of these devices you'll

notice that the dark mode icons now show

up here on the left so any where in the

settings where you have default icons

like calendar contacts Health homekit

all of those show the dark mode icon for

those select apps whereas before it

would still show the light mode icons

for calendars contacts Health homekit

all of those so a nice minor Improvement

there that makes a big difference in the

settings if we head into our settings

and go down to the Siri section

unfortunately we do not have the new

Siri animation as you can see it just

shows as normal and also if you did do

the kind of hacky way to get the new

Siri

in beta 1 that is now dead with beta 2

it no longer works so anyways in our

settings here for the series section

you'll notice up top that not only is

this platter smaller but also the

description has changed so it used to

say what it said for a long time up here

before in beta 1 but now in beta 2 it

says Siri is an intelligent assistant

that helps you find information and get

things done so it seems like apple is

kind of gearing up for the Apple

intelligence features to be in this

section and settings and you'll also

notice that in this section there's no

more press side button for Siri so I'm

not sure why that is not here in beta 2

but it's missing and then also if you go

to listen for there's a new toggle down

here that has no description it just

says talk to Sir so that is a new one

and if you turn that off and on nothing

changes there's no description and

there's also a change in the face ID and

passcode section and settings as well so

it's also been a bit condensed so now

you can see the verbiage up there has

been changed in beta 2 in the photos

application if you go to the filters in

the bottom leftand corner and tap on

that and then go to view options there's

a new option for show shared with you

and a new glyph icon next to that that

was not there in beta 1 if we head over

to the lock screen and haptic press

right here and go to customize into our

lock screen you'll notice that now when

we add the open app shortcut so right

here the open app and then we tap on it

it pops up right away you actually don't

even have to tap it prompts you right

away so that was broken in beta 1 you

would have to basically go out of this

and then back into it and then tap again

but now the open app shortcut for the

lock screen is working as expected now a

big change for the iPad is that iPad OS

18 beta 2 includes the alternative app

stores and other EU changes so all the

changes that we saw for the EU with iOS

17 and those changes didn't come to the

iPad they are now coming to the iPad so

this includes the third party app stores

and all of the other changes to Safari

and the App Store if we head into our

accessibility settings the music haptics

icon has been changed so before in beta

1 it was blue now in beta 2 it is red

also in the accessibility settings if

you go into it tracking there's a new

description underneath of it so it's a

bit lengthier so it's now two sentences

instead of just one short sentence about

what it does also we have this new

placeholder for our Apple account if our

photo does not show up it's no longer

blank it just shows this new icon with

the Apple in there and if we go into our

iCloud settings the badge in the top

right has changed so it used to say

subscriber Edition now it says

subscriber iCloud so still a completely

meaningless badge in my opinion but that

is still there just the text has been

slightly tweaked also a feature that was

in beta 1 but I didn't notice until beta

2 is inside of our settings display and

brightness and then down to autolock and

if you set this to never there's a new

warning at the bottom that says your

iPhone may use more energy with this

setting now as far as the release notes

go there are a lot of details in these

release notes so I'm not going to go

through everything but there are quite a

few known issues as expected some of

these are leftovers from beta 1 but

there are also quite a few specific new

features and also a lot of known issues

so a lot of the known issues are related

to the visuals on the home screen like

when you switch from light mode to dark

mode some things don't change over apple

is aware of that along with a lot of the

other UI based bugs that we've been

talking about since beta 1 and for the

camera I did want to mention two

resolved issues that I've had so the

portrait capture after boot might take

longer than expected to finish that was

something I faced in beta 1 along with

camera functions might take up to 2

minutes to work after booting an iPhone

or iPad that has also worked and there

are also fixes for document scanning and

for portrait mode preview and there are

three control center resolved issues so

there's a bug fix for the empty pages in

control center that was given a lot of

people issues beta 1 so now the empty

pages no longer stay there After exiting

the edit mode and then there's a fix for

control widgets and also for the voice

memos control also the Emoji tapbacks

are broken in group chats in iOS 18 beta

2 specifically with SMS messages so if

you have an SMS group chat I've noticed

that the tapbacks are now broken even

though those were working properly in

beta 1 and then also screen time is

still broken in iOS 18 beta 2 and it's

actually gotten worse than beta 1 so if

you go to your settings and try to go

into screen time it just freezes you

can't do anything on your device and

then it will eventually crash and go

back to the home screen if you don't do

it manually it will just crash out of

settings and go back to the home screen

so screen time still broken in beta 2

and there are going to be a few other

bugs as well since we still are in an

early beta for iOS 18 now I did want to

touch on the geekbench scores because if

we go into my history here you can see I

ran a geekbench test shortly after

installing so we scored a 27 92 on the

single core and a 6759 on the multicore

so a very low multicore especially

compared to our last run just 3 days ago

you can see we got a

7272 versus a 6759 so clearly an anomaly

because I was you know uploading to

iCloud my iCloud was backing up and

everything like that so that's to be

expected when you download a update and

you know run these scores shortly after

so I will be running another test at the

end of the week to see how it compares

to a later run of iOS 18 beta 1 which is

this one right here but of course I will

continue using iOS 18 beta 2 throughout

the week to see how it compares to beta

1 and I will touch on that in my Apple

weekly episode coming on Saturday and

the same goes with the battery life of

course it's way too early to tell how

battery life is so far but a good way to

judge early is to see what my battery

percentage is now compared to when I

started the video so 84% now you guys

will have to go back to the beginning

and let me know how the battery life was

or what the battery life was at the

beginning and how much I lost throughout

this video now as far as when to expect

the next beta I would expect to see iOS

18 developer beta 3 in about 2 weeks

from now so that puts us at around July

8th or July 9th so apple does not

typically release betas on Monday so

today was you know a difference an

anomaly but I would expect to see beta 3

most likely on a Tuesday but from now on

we can't really rule out Mondays anymore

I guess so I'm going to say either the

eth or the 9th is when we can expect to

see developer beta 3 and then as far as

the first public beta for public beta

testers you're probably going to see the

first public beta around the same time

so either that week or even the

following week the week of July 15th but

I do not see the public beta coming

anytime after the week of the 15th so

it's going to be within one of those two

weeks and then as far as any Apple

intelligence features I know some people

have been asking me about Apple

intelligence we do not see anything new

or relevant to Apple intelligence in

this beta 2 update but we should start

seeing some of those features in beta 3

or later now we're not going to see

everything until 2025 so a lot of the

really Advanced and the really awesome

AI features from Apple are not going to

come until 2025 so I would not expect

those but we are going to see the new

Siri UI and a lot of the Siri changes as

well coming in later betas because they

will be in the iOS 18 final update so

nothing here here in beta 2 though

related to Apple intelligence

unfortunately so that is IOS 18 beta 2

I'm sure there are even more changes in

the update and I will be exploring those

and finding those throughout the week

and I will share those additional

changes in my Apple weekly episode on

Saturday as I always do but if you

enjoyed this video I would appreciate if

you give it a thumbs up also make sure

to subscribe so you don't miss out on

future iOS 18 beta update videos but

anyways guys thanks again for watching

and I'll see you soon