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Apple has just released the Release Candidate (RC) versions of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, watchOS 11.4, tvOS 18.4, macOS 15.4, and visionOS 2.4 to registered developers and participants in the public beta program. The RC version is generally considered nearly identical to the final release—if no critical bugs emerge, this exact version will be rolled out to all users next week.
With the release of the RC versions, the beta phase is officially entering the home stretch. In recent weeks, the focus has been primarily on stability, performance, and fixing minor bugs. New features were already introduced in the first two betas of iOS 18.4 – the latest focus has been on fine-tuning and preparing for the rollout.
Review: The most important new features in iOS 18.4
In the previous betas of iOS 18.4, Apple has introduced the following features:
- Apple News+ Food: New section with recipes and articles on nutrition
- Priority notifications: More important messages are visually highlighted
- New sketch style in Image Playground
- Apple Intelligence in ten additional languages, including German
- Set default apps: Translation worldwide, navigation in the EU
- CarPlay update with enhanced app display
- Four new music modes in the Control Center
- Revised Mail app: Now also on iPad and Mac with intelligent sorting
You can find out more about the features from Beta 1 and 2 here.
- iOS 18.4 Beta 1: These are the most important new features
- iOS 18.4 Beta 2: These are the changes the new update brings
What does the release candidate mean for users?
The RC version is usually the last pre-release version before the official release. If no more serious bugs are reported, this exact same version will be released to all users as a public update next week. So, you can expect to be able to install iOS 18.4 normally via your iPhone's Settings in a few days. The final rollout for watchOS 11.4, macOS 15.4, tvOS 18.4, and visionOS 2.4 is also just a matter of days.
visionOS 2.4: This is what the update for Apple Vision Pro brings
visionOS 2.4 will also be brought to its final state with the RC. The update includes, among other things:
- Apple Intelligence for Vision Pro with AI writing tools, image generation, and Smart Replies
- Spatial Gallery with exclusive 3D content
- Apple Vision Pro app for iPhone
- Optimized guest functionality with persistent user management
You can find out more about the new Vision Pro features here.
- iOS 18.4 Beta 2: Apple brings Vision Pro app to iPhone
- visionOS 2.4 Beta 2 brings the Spatial Gallery to the Vision Pro
iOS 18.4 is about to be released – update coming next week
With the release candidate of iOS 18.4 and the other systems, the final step before the public update has been taken. It's very likely that Apple will begin the official rollout as early as next week. Those who want can install the RC version now – or simply wait a few more days until the update is released to everyone. As always, we'll keep you updated as soon as Apple officially releases the update. The best products for you: Our Amazon Storefront offers a wide selection of accessories, including HomeKit. (Photo by Brandon Romanchuk / Bigstockphoto)
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