Everything new in iOS 18.1 developer beta 7

On Monday, Apple officially rolled out iOS 18.1 developer beta 7, with the build number 22B5075a. This comes after the release of developer beta 6 a week earlier, which carried the build number 22B5069a.

The sixth developer beta offered users additional Control Center toggles and included certain visual improvements, such as new splash screens.

Apple Intelligence is undoubtedly the main focus of the iOS 18.1 update, as the company gears up for the feature’s rumored release in October. However, Monday’s update merely builds on developer beta 6, introducing minor changes and quality of life improvements.

With beta 7, Apple has made a change to the existing clock widgets in iOS 18.1. In tinted mode, the widgets now have a translucent appearance, which bears some resemblance to visionOS.

Translucent UI elements with a distinct blur effect are widely used in iOS and have been present in the iPhone operating system for over a decade. Apple revamped the iPhone operating system in 2013 with iOS 7, introducing blur effects and a flat user interface, replacing the previously used skeuomorphic look.

Since then, the company has continued to use translucent effects on its various operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, and more. The custom Clock widgets in Monday’s beta arguably provide a more cohesive look across the iOS interface, as they don’t stand out like previous iterations.

Although the widgets have undergone a minor visual change, there appear to be no other changes that affect the appearance or function of the Clock widgets in iOS 18.1.

Aside from the custom Clock widgets, the seventh developer beta of iOS 18.1 doesn’t appear to introduce any significant changes. However, like developer beta 6, the update includes a few new splash screens for certain system applications.

Welcome screens may occur when opening the Home, Podcasts, TV, and Voice Memos applications. These screens inform users about new features in the respective apps, even if the features themselves were added with previous iOS 18 updates.

While Monday’s beta doesn’t add any meaningful features, the release is likely to include several bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements that will ultimately improve the operating system as a whole. This is to be expected as Apple prepares for the soon-approaching public release of iOS 18.1.

The seventh developer beta still supports the same Apple Intelligence features as previous releases of iOS 18.1. Apple Intelligence is a set of new software features powered by Apple’s proprietary generative AI software.

Apple Intelligence can be used to edit text and images via generative AI.

Apple Intelligence allows users to edit text and images, or summarize emails and notifications, all with the help of artificial intelligence.

However, it’s worth pointing out that the features are only available on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, or on iPhone 16 series devices. Apple Intelligence can also be used on iPads and Mac computers with an M1 or newer chip.

Future releases of iOS 18 are expected to introduce support for Image Playground and Visual Intelligence, both of which are powered by Apple Intelligence. The iOS 18.2 update, which was rumored to arrive sometime in December 2024, is when we could finally see the rollout of these two AI features.

The Image Playground application allows users to create AI-generated images in specific Apple-approved styles. Visual Intelligence allows users to learn about real-world objects and locations through the iPhone camera and Apple Intelligence. The latter feature will be available on iPhone 16 devices, which have a dedicated camera control button to activate visual intelligence.