It’s not long since Apple released the latest iPhone update, iOS 18.3—with a special extra version following a week later, and it looks like there’s an unanticipated smaller update, iOS 18.3.1 coming soon—but it’s iOS 18.4 that people are really waiting for. It looks like the first developer beta could land this coming week or the week after.
The rumored arrival date comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman who on Friday, Feb. 7 posted on X. “I expect iOS 18.4 beta 1 to be released between the middle of next week and early the following week. So it’s coming fairly soon,” he said.
Gurman doesn’t always mention when developer beta releases are coming, which is a sign of how significant this update is expected to be. That’s because of the major Siri enhancements which are thought to land in iOS 18.4, as the next tranche of Apple Intelligence.
As a reminder, Apple Intelligence is available on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and all models in the iPhone 16 series. For a start, Apple Intelligence will be available in more countries and languages.
Apple Intelligence will bring “a new era for Siri,” Apple says. The new design has already arrived, but still to come are features to make Siri more natural. “Equipped with awareness of your personal context, the ability to take action in and across apps, and product knowledge about your devices’ features and settings, Siri will be able to assist you like never before,” Apple claims.
It’ll also have onscreen awareness, too:“If a friend texts you their new address, you can say ‘Add this address to their contact card’, and Siri will take care of it,” it’s reported.
There are also other features expected which will work on more phones such as new emoji, including a face with bags under the eyes and tweaks to default app choices in the European Union.
Here’s how I think the timetable will play out.
First developer beta: Week beginning Monday, Feb. 10 or the following week (though not on Monday, Feb. 17 as that’s Presidents’ Day).
First public beta: later in February.
Further betas to follow in March with general release at end of March or early April.
