Apple Rollout: Second RC Beta for iOS 18.4 & iPadOS 18.4 Arrives; Public Release Imminent

Second Release Candidate Betas of iOS 18.4 & iPadOS 18.4 Seeded to Testers

Apple has released the second release candidate (RC) beta of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 to testers, with a full public release expected the week of March 31. The initial RC builds were introduced on March 24, along with macOS 15.4, tvOS 18.4, watchOS 11.4, and visionOS 2.4. These have been updated to build 22E240 from the original 22E239.

Changes in the Second RC Builds

• Bug Fixes: While Apple has not officially detailed the changes, it is likely that this update includes minor bug fixes and performance improvements.
• New Features in iOS 18.4:
  • New emoji characters
  • Visual Intelligence for iPhone 15 Pro
  • Control Center section for Apple Intelligence features
  • Additional download options in the App Store, including a 'pause' button
  • Updates to the Shortcuts app
  • Potential CarPlay updates for EV route planning
  • New menu icon in the Wallet app for accessing in-app settings and order management
  • RCS protocol enabled for Orange users in France

Testing Process

Multiple RC builds are common before a final release, as they help ensure that any issues or missing elements are identified and fixed. This second RC build is expected to be the last major update before the public release.