Apple has rolled out the iOS 18.3 release candidate to developers and public beta testers as of Tuesday, just two weeks after the release of iOS 18.2.1. While the previous update focused on fixing a few bugs, this latest beta brings several enhancements for developers and beta testers. Notable improvements include updates to Apple Intelligence notification summaries, among other refinements.
Since this is a beta version, it’s best to avoid installing it on your primary device. Being a pre-release version of iOS 18.3, it may contain bugs and could negatively impact battery life, so it’s wiser to use a secondary device for testing.
Keep in mind that the release candidate (RC) is not the final version of iOS 18.3, meaning additional improvements could be included when the update officially launches. Apple has yet to announce a public release date for iOS 18.3.
Here’s a glimpse of what iOS 18.3 could bring to your iPhone. However, a quick reminder: Apple Intelligence features are currently exclusive to developers and beta testers using an iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max, or any iPhone in the iPhone 16 lineup. These features won’t be accessible on other iPhone models.
AI notification summary updates
The iOS 18.3 release candidate introduces some tweaks to Apple Intelligence notification summaries. This feature, which provides app-generated notification summaries on your Lock Screen, is typically enabled by default. However, according to the BBC, one of its headlines was inaccurately summarized.
With the RC update, this feature is no longer functional for the News app. Additionally, a disclaimer has been added to the Summarize Notifications menu in Settings, stating: “Summaries may contain errors.” Notification summaries have been temporarily disabled for apps in the News & Entertainment category, though users can opt back in to receive these notifications if desired.
Repeating operations in Calculator
The iOS 18.3 release candidate also introduces a new visual change: AI notification summaries on the Lock Screen are now italicized to help distinguish them from other notifications. Additionally, you can easily disable AI notification summaries for specific apps directly from the Lock Screen. Simply swipe left on the notification, tap Options, and select Turn Off Summaries.
Another notable update in the RC is the return of a feature in the Calculator app. Developers and beta testers can now repeat operations without re-entering the equation. For example, you can double a number by simply pressing the equal sign multiple times, rather than re-entering the equation. This functionality, while not new, had been removed when iOS 18 was released in September and is now making a comeback.
Here are the full release notes for the iOS 18.3 RC.
" Visual intelligence with Camera Control (All iPhone 16 models)
- Add an event to Calendar from a poster or flyer.
- Easily identify plants and animals.
Notification summaries (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)
- Easily manage settings for notification summaries from the Lock Screen.
- Updated style for summarized notifications better distinguishes them from other notifications by using italicized text as well as the glyph.
- Notification summaries for News & Entertainment apps are temporarily unavailable, and users who opt-in will see them again when the feature becomes available.
This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:
- Calculator repeats the last mathematical operation when you tap the equals sign again.
- Fixes an issue where the keyboard might disappear when initiating a typed Siri request.
- Resolves an issue where audio playback continues until the song ends even after closing Apple Music.
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit:
While this is the iOS 18.3 RC, Apple could release more RC versions of the iOS update to squash more bugs and improve on features. As of now, there’s no word on when Apple will release iOS 18.3 to the general public.
For more on iOS, here’s what to know about iOS 18.2.1 and iOS 18.2. You can also check out our iOS 18 cheat sheet.