Apple Releases First Beta of iOS 18.4, Introducing ‘Priority Notifications’

Apple has released beta versions of the latest updates to its platforms for developers. The preliminary version of iOS 18.4 introduced “Priority Notifications,” which are part of the Apple Intelligence package: a locally running artificial intelligence model analyzes incoming notifications and tries to determine the most important ones so that the system displays them above others.

Image source: apple.com

By default, priority notifications are disabled, the function is activated in the settings – there is a corresponding option there. Apple has not yet provided details about the updated Siri voice assistant. “In the coming months, Apple Intelligence will continue to expand with new features, including new capabilities for Siri,” the company’s press release says succinctly.

Apple also announced that Apple Intelligence will be available in multiple languages ​​with the iOS 18.4 update, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese, as well as localized English for Singapore and India. This will be the first time that users in the EU will have access to Apple Intelligence features.

Along with iOS 18.4, Apple released beta versions of iPadOS 18.4, macOS 15.4, tvOS 18.4, visionOS 2.4, and watchOS 11.4. The updated iOS and iPadOS now allow users to choose a default translation app; users in Europe, where the Digital Markets Act (DMA) is in effect, can also choose a default navigation app.

With iOS 18.4, Vision Pro owners can browse the headset’s app store, add videos to watch, and install apps remotely right on their iPhone. The Mac and iPad get a redesigned email client, and Apple News Plus for iPhone and iPad gets a cooking section with “tens of thousands of recipes” formatted for mobile viewing.