A week after seeding iOS 18 beta 7 to developers, Apple is now publishing beta 8. This is likely the last beta version of iOS 18 before its Release Candidate build, expected by the time Cupertino introduces the iPhone 16.
That being said, this version likely only polishes the previous testing version, as Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman noted last week that beta 7 was final for iPhone users. Unlike other years, Apple has pushed its main Apple Intelligence platform to iOS 18.1, which means the version that most people will get in a few weeks won’t have one of the most-anticipated features of the year.
With iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 beta 8, Apple is tweaking the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Control Center. Now, apps can be organized in any way, which means they can be placed anywhere. App icons and widgets can take on a new look with a dark or tinted effect, and users can make apps appear larger to create the perfect experience for them. In the Lock Screen, it’s possible to choose new widgets instead of the Flashlight and Camera options.
iOS 18 beta 8 keeps tweaking the Messages app with its powerful new features, including all-new text effects, personalized messages, tapbacks with any emoji, and scheduled messages.
Users can also experience the new Passwords app. Built on the foundation of Keychain, the new Passwords app makes it easy for users to access their passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes.
Lastly, Apple has released new features that let users lock and hide apps. When an app is locked or hidden, content like messages or emails inside the app is hidden from search, notifications, and other places across the system. Users can only unlock it with Face ID and Touch ID. BGR teaches you how to hide and lock iPhone apps in iOS 18.
Alongside iOS 18 beta 8, Apple is also releasing the eighth testing versions of iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS Sequoia, tvOS 18, and visionOS 2.
