Top Stories: Everything New in iOS 18 Beta 3, HomePod With Screen Rumor, and More

Apple is moving right along with development and testing on iOS 18 and related software updates, with the third developer betas arriving this past week and public beta versions of most of them expected very shortly.

Not all of the new features Apple showed off at WWDC last month will be available right away, however, with some rolling out in later iOS 18 updates over the next year. In particular, significant Siri enhancements with Apple Intelligence are reportedly slated for iOS 18.4 in the spring of 2025. Other news this week included hints of a touchscreen-equipped HomePod and rumors about the next-generation Apple Watch SE, so read on below for all the details!

Everything New in iOS 18 Beta 3

Apple this week seeded the third beta of iOS 18 to developers for testing, and there are a handful of new features and changes. Check out our list of everything new in iOS 18 beta 3, including Dark Mode for additional app icons, tweaks to the Photos app, and more.

Apple also seeded the third betas of iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11, tvOS 18, visionOS 2, and more.

iOS 18 Public Beta Coming Soon: How to Get Your iPhone Ready

Apple last month announced that the first public beta of iOS 18 would be released in July, so it should be available to try out soon. The first public betas of iOS 17 and iOS 16 were both released in the first half of July over the past two years, so it is possible that the iOS 18 public beta will be available next week.

Ahead of time, read our story outlining how to get your iPhone ready for the iOS 18 public beta.

New Siri Experience With Apple Intelligence Likely to Debut in Spring 2025

While some Apple Intelligence features will be available when iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia are first released to the public later this year, Apple last month said that some of the remaining features will be rolled out “over the course of the next year.”

According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, a smarter version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence will likely launch as part of iOS 18.4 in the spring of 2025.

tvOS 18 Hints at HomePod With Touchscreen Display

A reference to an unreleased HomePod with a built-in screen has allegedly been uncovered in the tvOS 18 beta, following earlier reports that Apple plans to release such a device in the future.

Apple is rumored to have been prototyping several different smart home accessories, including a HomePod with a screen, a smart home hub with a robotic arm, a device that combines a HomePod and Apple TV, and more, but it is unclear if or when all of them will be released to the public.

Apple Reportedly Developing Apple Watch SE With Plastic Casing

Apple is developing a next-generation version of the low-end Apple Watch SE with a plastic casing, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.

A third-generation Apple Watch SE is expected to be released in September, but it is unclear if Apple will move forward with the plastic casing, which would replace the aluminum casing on previous models. The current Apple Watch SE starts at $249 in the U.S., and the move to plastic could allow for the next model to have an even lower starting price.

10+ Changes to Control Center in iOS 18

Apple is significantly overhauling Control Center on iOS 18 for the first time since iOS 11, with greater customization, multiple pages, additional controls, and more. Apple also now allows users to customize the Flashlight and Camera shortcuts on the Lock Screen.

Check out our list outlining more than 10 new features and changes in Control Center on iOS 18, which will be widely released later this year for the iPhone XS and newer.

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