iOS 18.2 beta 4 just landed — here’s what’s changed

iOS 18.2 on iPhone — (Image credit: Future)

Today is a big day for iOS 18.2 beta testers. Not only has the iOS 18.2 beta 3 started rolling out as part of the public beta branch, but developer beta testers are now able to install iOS 18.2 beta 4. That's a lot of new beta to check out ahead of the stable release of iOS 18.2, which Apple has already confirmed will happen at some time in December.

Being so close to the release of iOS 18.2, it’s no surprise that the fourth beta isn’t very substantial. All the good stuff, like ChatGPT support and Visual Intelligence, was added to the beta software weeks ago — giving testers the chance to get an early look at these features.

What’s new in iOS 18.2 public beta 3 and developer beta 4

The biggest change in developer beta 4 and public beta 3 is that Apple has added a new "Accessibility" sub-menu in the Camera Control settings. Previously, users would have to navigate to the standalone Accessibility menu to make those changes to the Camera Control button and interface. Those options aren’t being removed, but Apple is duplicating them in a second, potentially more useful, location, giving users more freedom to tinker with Camera Control.

On top of that, the video scrubber in the Photos app will now show a timestamp that includes milliseconds, in case you need an extra level of finesse in your video playback. Profile picture icons in Apple's Mail app have also shrunk a little bit, which is good news for anyone previously bothered by their size, alongside other minor changes to Mail.

Changes carried over from iOS 18.2 developer beta 3

iOS 18.2 beta 3 has already been available for developers for a couple of weeks already, and all the changes that came with this update should now be available to public beta testers.

One of the big fixes was that the Photos app would stop zooming in and out when you tap the screen. Instead, the app will now bring up playback controls, and reveal the gallery view at the bottom of the screen. A useful change to a very irritating bug.

Camera Control settings also come with a new option that lets you switch off the “Require Screen On” setting. While this setting should stop you accidentally opening Camera Control when you’re not using your phone, turning it off gives you the option to activate the button more quickly without needing to wake the phone up first.

The long-gestating next-generation version of CarPlay is also set to get new artwork for the Media and Climate apps, with the former looking remarkably like the old iTunes Radio app icon. And for phones that offer Apple Intelligence support, the Writing Tools option has also moved when you highlight text, now appearing in the first stage of the pop-up menu.

Smaller fixes also include the AirDrop icon switching to dark mode in the sharing menu, fixes for Find My issues affecting played sound and Precision Finding — plus stricter enforcement of Apple Intelligence device requirements.

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Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.