Apple released the first public betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia 15, watchOS 11, tvOS 18 and HomePod Software 18 on July 15, 2024. The free Apple Beta Software Program opened these pre-release builds to non-developers after several developer-beta rounds. Apple Intelligence was not included in these initial public betas; its first public beta features arrived later in the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 cycle.
This was a historical 2024 release, not a current 2026 announcement. The launch followed Apple’s June 10 WWDC24 previews and did not include a public beta for visionOS 2.
What Apple released on July 15, 2024
The first public-beta rollout covered six Apple operating-system families:
| Platform | Public beta | What it offered at launch |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone | iOS 18 | Home Screen and Control Center customization, Photos redesign, Messages changes, RCS support, privacy controls and more. |
| iPad | iPadOS 18 | Calculator with Math Notes, Smart Script, shared iOS 18 customization and window-management improvements. |
| Mac | macOS Sequoia 15 | iPhone Mirroring, window tiling, Safari Highlights, Passwords, Presenter Preview and productivity updates. |
| Apple Watch | watchOS 11 | Activity, health, Smart Stack and watch-face-related changes. |
| Apple TV | tvOS 18 | Updates to the Apple TV viewing experience and system features. |
| HomePod | HomePod Software 18 | Platform updates connected with Apple’s broader operating-system ecosystem. |
Apple had announced the July timing at WWDC24. Contemporary coverage reported that the first iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 public builds were broadly aligned with the third developer beta, so “public” described the audience and distribution rather than a completely separate feature branch (MacRumors’ launch report). The rollout did not silently add another major platform: visionOS 2 was not part of this public-beta release (Ars Technica).
#1 Best Overall
- WHY IPAD — The 11-inch iPad is now more capable than ever with the superfast A16 chip, a stunning Liquid Retina display, advanced cameras, fast Wi-Fi, USB-C connector, and four gorgeous colors.* iPad delivers a powerful way to create, stay connected, and get things done.
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The superfast A16 chip delivers a boost in performance for your favorite activities. And with all-day battery life, iPad is perfect for playing immersive games and editing photos and videos.* Storage starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB.*
- 11-INCH LIQUID RETINA DISPLAY — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display is an amazing way to watch movies or draw your next masterpiece.* True Tone adjusts the display to the color temperature of the room to make viewing comfortable in any light.
- IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos.* iPad comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps designed specifically for iPad available on the App Store.
- FAST WI-FI CONNECTIVITY — Wi-Fi 6 gives you fast access to your files, uploads, and downloads, and lets you seamlessly stream your favorite shows.
The main features testers could try
iOS 18
- Place apps and widgets more freely on the Home Screen and customize the Control Center.
- Choose different Lock Screen controls.
- Use the redesigned Photos app and new Messages effects and formatting.
- Message compatible non-iPhone users with RCS, where supported by the carrier and region.
- Use satellite messaging in supported circumstances and locations.
- Lock apps or hide them, alongside other privacy controls.
- Explore updates to Mail, Maps, Wallet, Home and Safari.
Apple’s WWDC24 overview describes the wider iOS 18 feature set at Apple Newsroom. A compatible phone could receive iOS 18 without supporting every individual feature; Apple announced iOS 18 compatibility starting with iPhone XS and later (Apple’s compatibility announcement).
iPadOS 18
The iPad’s Calculator app was the headline addition. Math Notes could solve handwritten or typed equations, while Smart Script and other Notes changes improved work with handwriting. iPadOS 18 also shared the new Home Screen and Control Center controls and added app and window-management changes.
macOS Sequoia 15
- iPhone Mirroring: interact with a nearby iPhone from the Mac.
- Window tiling: arrange windows into useful layouts.
- Safari Highlights: surface relevant information on a webpage.
- Passwords: manage credentials in a dedicated app.
- Presenter Preview: prepare what appears when sharing a screen or presenting on a video call.
- Updates to Notes, Calculator, Calendar and gaming features.
Apple’s Sequoia announcement is at Apple Newsroom.
Rank #2
- WHY IPAD — The 11-inch iPad is now more capable than ever with the superfast A16 chip, a stunning Liquid Retina display, advanced cameras, fast Wi-Fi, USB-C connector, and four gorgeous colors.* iPad delivers a powerful way to create, stay connected, and get things done.
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The superfast A16 chip delivers a boost in performance for your favorite activities. And with all-day battery life, iPad is perfect for playing immersive games and editing photos and videos.* Storage starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB.*
- 11-INCH LIQUID RETINA DISPLAY — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display is an amazing way to watch movies or draw your next masterpiece.* True Tone adjusts the display to the color temperature of the room to make viewing comfortable in any light.
- IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos.* iPad comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps designed specifically for iPad available on the App Store.
- FAST WI-FI CONNECTIVITY — Wi-Fi 6 gives you fast access to your files, uploads, and downloads, and lets you seamlessly stream your favorite shows.
watchOS 11, tvOS 18 and HomePod Software 18
These builds extended the same annual platform cycle to Apple’s other devices. watchOS 11 focused on activity, health and Smart Stack changes; tvOS 18 updated the Apple TV experience; and HomePod Software 18 supplied ecosystem-level platform changes. Apple staged some announced capabilities across later betas, so a WWDC feature list was not a guarantee that every item was active in the first public build.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Apple Intelligence was not in the first public betas
The July 15 builds were primarily an early look at the operating-system interfaces and platform features. They did not include Apple Intelligence, despite Apple announcing the generative-AI system alongside iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia.
Apple later seeded the first public betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 on September 19, 2024; those releases began introducing Apple Intelligence features (MacRumors’ report). Apple’s initial requirements included an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, an iPad with an M1 chip or later, or a Mac with an M1 chip or later, with U.S. English initially required for Siri and device language (Apple’s availability details). Those limits applied to Apple Intelligence, not to installing the ordinary iOS 18 or macOS Sequoia public beta on a compatible device.
Rank #3
- WHY IPAD — The 11-inch iPad is now more capable than ever with the superfast A16 chip, a stunning Liquid Retina display, advanced cameras, fast Wi-Fi, USB-C connector, and four gorgeous colors.* iPad delivers a powerful way to create, stay connected, and get things done.
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The superfast A16 chip delivers a boost in performance for your favorite activities. And with all-day battery life, iPad is perfect for playing immersive games and editing photos and videos.* Storage starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB.*
- 11-INCH LIQUID RETINA DISPLAY — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display is an amazing way to watch movies or draw your next masterpiece.* True Tone adjusts the display to the color temperature of the room to make viewing comfortable in any light.
- IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos.* iPad comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps designed specifically for iPad available on the App Store.
- FAST WI-FI CONNECTIVITY — Wi-Fi 6 gives you fast access to your files, uploads, and downloads, and lets you seamlessly stream your favorite shows.
Who could install the betas?
Apple’s public program was free. Users needed an Apple Account, a compatible device and enrollment at the official Apple Beta Software Program. A paid Apple Developer Program membership was not required for public-beta access.
- Good candidates: enthusiasts with a spare device, developers or app testers, and users able to tolerate bugs and report feedback.
- Poor candidates: anyone relying on one phone for banking, authentication, medical care, work, travel or other essential tasks.
Expect possible crashes, battery or thermal changes, app incompatibilities, connectivity problems, accessory issues and iCloud synchronization trouble. Public beta means broader testing access, not production-grade reliability.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallHow to install the July 2024 public betas
Prepare first
- Make a current, verified backup.
- Check banking, authentication, work, medical, travel and smart-home apps for beta compatibility.
- Charge the device and confirm sufficient free storage.
- Prefer a secondary device, especially for Apple Watch, HomePod or Apple TV testing.
- Confirm that you can access your Apple Account credentials and two-factor authentication.
iPhone or iPad
- Go to beta.apple.com and sign in with the Apple Account used on the device.
- Enroll the device in the Apple Beta Software Program.
- Open Settings and tap General.
- Tap Software Update.
- Select the available public-beta option, review the release and install it.
Labels can change between beta generations, but this was the reported path for the first iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 public builds (MacRumors).
Rank #4
- WHY IPAD — The 11-inch iPad is now more capable than ever with the superfast A16 chip, a stunning Liquid Retina display, advanced cameras, fast Wi-Fi, USB-C connector, and four gorgeous colors.* iPad delivers a powerful way to create, stay connected, and get things done.
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The superfast A16 chip delivers a boost in performance for your favorite activities. And with all-day battery life, iPad is perfect for playing immersive games and editing photos and videos.* Storage starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB.*
- 11-INCH LIQUID RETINA DISPLAY — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display is an amazing way to watch movies or draw your next masterpiece.* True Tone adjusts the display to the color temperature of the room to make viewing comfortable in any light.
- IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos.* iPad comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps designed specifically for iPad available on the App Store.
- FAST WI-FI CONNECTIVITY — Wi-Fi 6 gives you fast access to your files, uploads, and downloads, and lets you seamlessly stream your favorite shows.
Mac
- Enroll at beta.apple.com.
- Open System Settings.
- Choose General, then Software Update.
- Select the relevant beta option and install macOS Sequoia.
Apple Watch, Apple TV and HomePod
Enrollment is available through Apple’s public-beta process, but recovery is less forgiving than on an iPhone or iPad. Do not install on a device you cannot afford to have unavailable, and do not assume that every model has the same rollback path.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Rollback, backups and recovery risks
A backup made on newer beta software may not restore to an older stable release. Returning to the stable operating system can require erasing the device and restoring an older compatible backup. Keep that older backup before upgrading, and remember that some app data depends on iCloud synchronization or the app’s own backup system.
Apple Watch rollback options are more limited than iPhone or iPad options. HomePod and Apple TV recovery can also require device-specific service or restore steps. Because those procedures vary, avoid a universal downgrade recipe and consult Apple’s instructions for the exact model if a beta becomes unusable.
Best Value
- WHY IPAD PRO — iPad Pro with the Apple M5 chip delivers extraordinary performance for effortless productivity on a stunning display. Take on pro workflows with Neural Accelerators for AI and a redesigned iPadOS with game-changing capabilities.*
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — iPad Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and the power of on-device AI to all your tasks.* Featuring up to 2TB of storage, 16GB of memory, and Neural Accelerators for next-level AI performance.*
- IPADOS — Run pro apps and get more done with iPadOS 26 with Liquid Glass design and game-changing capabilities.* With an intuitive and flexible windowing system, you can control, organize, and manage your workflows like never before.
- APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you communicate, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- 13-INCH ULTRA RETINA XDR DISPLAY — The world’s most advanced display, featuring extreme brightness, precise contrast, ProMotion, P3 wide color, and True Tone.* Nano-texture display glass available in 1TB and 2TB configurations
Public beta versus other Apple software stages
| Stage | Audience and purpose |
|---|---|
| Developer beta | Earlier pre-release software intended for developers and technical testing. |
| Public beta | A later pre-release build opened to a broader group through Apple’s free program. |
| Release candidate | A near-final build evaluated shortly before general release. |
| Stable release | The version Apple recommends for ordinary day-to-day use. |
The first public iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 builds were broadly comparable to the third developer beta, but they remained changeable pre-release software—not final or near-final releases.
Should you have installed?
Install a public beta when early access and testing are worth the reliability trade-off, ideally on a spare device. Wait for a later public beta—or stay on the stable release—if you need dependable battery life, travel connectivity, banking, health apps, CarPlay, authentication or business workflows. Do not choose the July 15 build expecting Apple Intelligence; that required the later 18.1/15.1 beta cycle and supported hardware and language settings.
Apple continued developer and public testing ahead of the fall general releases, so features, performance and availability could change after this first build.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute
