Marko Zivkovic
The sixth developer beta of iOS 18.1 is now available for all compatible iPhone models. Here's everything you need to know about the update and the features it introduces.
On Monday, Apple released iOS 18.1 developer beta 6, which supports Apple Intelligence and builds upon the enhancements from the fifth developer beta, introduced two weeks earlier.
The company's sixth and most recent developer beta of iOS 18.1 includes new toggles for Control Center and introduces support for sleep apnea detection. It also contains various other changes, such as in-app splash screens and modified icons.
New connectivity and Measure toggles for Control Center
With iOS 18.1 beta 5, Apple introduced two key changes to Control Center. The first one was a dedicated reset option in System Settings, which can be used to revert the Control Center to its default layout.
Apple also included standalone toggles for WiFi and VPN in beta 5. Both of these were previously bundled into the Connectivity section.
The sixth developer beta expands upon these changes by adding two more connectivity-related toggles — one for AirDrop and the other for Satellite Connectivity.
Much like the Wi-Fi and VPN toggles introduced with the previous developer beta, the new AirDrop and Satellite Connectivity toggles are now available as standalone items within the Control Center.
Monday's developer beta also introduces two new Control Center toggles related to the Measure app. The two toggles are known as "Measure" and "Level," and both of them can be used to open the corresponding tools in the Measure app.
Sleep apnea detection is now finally available on iOS 18.1
The sixth developer beta of iOS 18.1 introduces support for sleep apnea detection, which was originally announced in June of 2024 at Apple's Glowtime event.
The feature makes it possible to detect breathing disturbances and signs of possible sleep apnea through a connected Apple Watch and its accelerometer. When used with a compatible iPhone, an Apple Watch can detect movements associated with interruptions to normal respiratory function during sleep.
If signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea are found, users will receive a notification instructing them to speak to a doctor and create a treatment plan, assuming they don't already have a sleep apnea diagnosis.
Sleep apnea detection is only available with Apple Watch Series 9 or newer, or Apple Watch Ultra 2, running watchOS 11.
Following the feature's FDA approval on September 13, Apple made sleep apnea detection available with the initial public release of iOS 18 and watchOS 11. The feature itself was notably absent from the iOS 18.1 betas, though, which changed on Monday with the rollout of iOS 18.1 developer beta 6.
Loud Sound Reduction settings for AirPods Pro
iOS 18.1 developer beta 6 introduces some improvements to an existing feature for the AirPods Pro wireless earbuds. Monday's developer beta includes a new splash screen and dedicated toggle for Loud Sound Reduction.
AirPods Pro can be configured to reduce the user's exposure to loud noises. This can be done by setting the AirPods' listening mode to Noise Cancellation, Adaptive, or Transparency, as per the new pop-up screen in the sixth developer beta of iOS 18.1. This screen shows up when AirPods Pro are connected to an iPhone running the beta software.
The same splash screen also indicates that AirPods Pro will receive improved voice quality, making the user's voice sound better in calls and recordings.
Other changes and features in iOS 18.1 developer beta 6
In addition to the new Control Center toggles and support for sleep apnea detection, the sixth developer beta of iOS 18.1 introduces some minor visual enhancements and changes. Safari, for instance, received a slightly different icon for Tinted Mode in the sixth developer beta of iOS 18.1.
Notifications on the Lock Screen are now numbered, allowing users to know exactly how many notifications they have from every application.
Monday's developer beta introduces a new splash screen for the App Store, which touts an improved search functionality. This enhanced search feature lets users find apps more easily, through the use of natural language and descriptive app tags.
Similarly, the Mail application has also received a new splash screen informing users of new Apple Intelligence features available within the app. This includes features such as email summarization, categorization, and Smart Replies, all of which are powered by Apple's generative AI software, known as Apple Intelligence.
Apple Intelligence also enables text-editing features known as Writing Tools, which let users adjust the tone of a text, among other things. With iOS 18.1 developer beta 6, Writing Tools received a new icon featuring a pen inside the existing Apple Intelligence logo.
In general, Apple Intelligence is the primary focus of the iOS 18.1 update. In addition to Writing Tools, Apple Intelligence also makes it possible to edit images via the new Clean Up tool. Future iOS 18 updates are expected to introduce support for Image Playground, which will let users generate images through artificial intelligence.
Wesley Hilliard
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
6 Comments
The thing about A.I., for me, is that I’ve been retired for 20 years (no, I’m not 85, I retired at 54). Because of that, most of the features that A.I. is useful for, isn’t useful for me. That doesn’t mean I’m not interested in it, just that I likely won’t be using most of it.
You’re already using it, you just don’t know you’re using it. In 18 it’ll be more obvious, like when you write an angry email to your neighbors but can’t muster the calmness to tell them to stop their kids from stepping on your lawn.