Apple has released the second release candidate beta of iOS 18.4.
Apple has seeded a second release candidate for iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, with a full release of both expected the week of March 31.
Apple initially introduced the first round of release candidates for macOS 15.4, iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, tvOS 18.4, watchOS 11.4, and visionOS 2.4 on March 24. Four days later, it has introduced a second RC build of iOS and iPadOS for testing.
It’s not uncommon for there to be multiple release candidate builds of software before it is released to the public. While a release candidate is supposed to have the same content as the final release, sometimes there is a missing or incorrect element that needs addressing urgently.
The original RC builds of both iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 were 22E239. These have been replaced by 22E240.
Apple has not yet disclosed details of what has changed between the RC builds, but it is likely to be a bug fix.
The additions to the first build in iOS 18.4 included updates to Apple Intelligence, such as localization support, Image Playground’s new sketch style, and priority notification adjustments.
The second round of builds added new emoji characters, introduced Visual Intelligence to the iPhone 15 Pro, and a Control Center section just for Apple Intelligence features. The App Store gained additional download options, including a new “pause” download button. There were also changes to the Shortcuts app and indications that CarPlay could have an update for EV route planning in the future. The Wallet app added a new menu icon for accessing in-app settings and order management. Orange users in France also saw the RCS protocol enabled in the beta.
