Apple Intelligence is now in public beta

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 23 September 2024

The latest iOS 18 public beta includes Apple Intelligence features for the first time, allowing anyone brave enough to run not-quite-finished software a chance to try them early.

Apple Intelligence isn't set to launch until October in the United States and December in Australia, but anyone with a compatible iPhone can test them with the iOS 18.1 public beta, provided their device language is set to US English.

To try out the new version of Apple's mobile operating system, you'll need to register your Apple ID through Apple's beta software portal.

After you've registered, installing the beta versions on your iPhone is simple. Follow these steps on your device:

Open the Settings app
Tap General and then Software Updates
Choose the public beta and follow the prompts

After the iOS 18.1 beta is installed, you'll need to set your device language to and Siri language to US English. You can find the device language settings under Language & Region in the General pane and Siri language settings under the Siri pane. Note that changing to US English could cause weirdness on your phone. At the minimum, you'll get US spelling for words - color instead of colour, for example.

After your settings are set, you should see an Apple Intelligence & Siri option in the Settings app. You'll need to join a waitlist to access the features, but we've seen reports of users getting access in around half an hour.

Apple Intelligence is only available on the iPhone 16 family, the iPhone 15 Pro, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Initial Apple Intelligence features include notification summarises, writing tools, suggested replies, phone call transcription, a clean-up tool in the photo app, and a new focus mode that only surfaces important notifications.

As always, you probably shouldn't install iOS 18.1 on your primary iPhone, as the operating system may still exhibit stability issues. In addition, beta operating systems can increase battery drain and result in compatibility issues with unoptimised apps.

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Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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