Article by Mingmei Wuxian

Recently, Apple pushed out the iOS 18.0 Beta 2 test version to developers, along with Beta 2 test versions of iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS 15, visionOS 2, and tvOS 18, two weeks after the release of the first beta version.

iOS 18.0 Beta 2 has a build number of 22A5297f, which fixes some bugs from the previous version and implements some promised features announced at the conference.

First and foremost, the most eye-catching features are iPhone mirroring and SharePlay screen sharing.

According to detailed analysis, the iPhone mirroring feature brings great convenience to Mac users. Users can now mirror their iPhone screen in real-time to their Mac, allowing them to directly reply to messages, receive notifications, and seamlessly drag and drop between devices, thus achieving a seamless cross-device synchronization experience.

It's worth mentioning that the iPhone mirroring feature shares similarities with the multi-screen collaboration feature found in the Android camp. This feature was originally advocated by Huawei's HarmonyOS and successfully achieved seamless collaboration between computers, tablets, and phones. Now, Apple has also joined this camp, providing users with more rich cross-device interaction options.

In addition, iOS 18 Developer Preview Beta 2 also introduces the SharePlay feature. This feature is built on the FaceTime platform, allowing users to share screen content during FaceTime calls. This means users can watch movies, present PPTs, or conduct remote teaching together during calls, greatly enhancing communication efficiency and intuitiveness.

Besides these two major new features, iOS 18 Developer Preview Beta 2 also brings a series of other updates. These include a new RCS switch, providing users with more flexible communication options; the addition of a Wallet widget, making payments and transactions more convenient; and the addition of a dark mode for the App Store icon on the home screen, providing users with a more personalized interface setting.

It's also worth noting that the iOS 18.0 Beta 2 test version has added RCS-related settings options but they are not yet active. However, according to feedback from multiple iPhone users, Apple has already enabled this feature in the United States.

Indeed, the iOS 18 Beta 2 released yesterday added RCS-related options in the settings, allowing users to switch on and enable support for RCS messages. However, after switching, the RCS messages were not displayed properly yesterday.

According to feedback from multiple iPhone users, using networks from major US telecom operators including AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, users can now send RCS messages to Android users. RCS-based text messages, instead of SMS/MMS, will be indicated with an RCS label.

RCS or Rich Communication Services allows iPhone and Android users to exchange higher-quality photos and videos, audio messages, and larger file sizes. Additionally, it supports features such as read receipts and real-time typing indicators. Apple iOS 18 Beta 2 enables the RCS option by default and will be released to the public this fall. RCS is known as 5G messaging in China.

In addition, according to reports, the official version of iOS 18 is scheduled to be released in September along with the launch of the iPhone 16 series and will be pushed to all iPhone users.

The addition of these new features not only enhances the user experience of iOS devices but also demonstrates Apple's continuous innovation and progress in cross-device collaboration and communication efficiency. With the release of the official version, users will be able to enjoy even richer and more convenient features.

Finally, the iOS 18.0 Beta 2 test version is still a Beta version, so there may be some minor issues, such as the bold text switch not working properly in the Display & Brightness settings. This is a new issue introduced in this version.

If you have already upgraded to iOS 18 Beta, you can continue to upgrade to this version. However, if you haven't upgraded to iOS 18 Beta, it is not recommended to upgrade your main device to iOS 18 Beta at this time. The call recording feature and Apple's smart features are still not available in the current iOS 18.

Well, that's it. If you have any comments or thoughts about Apple's newly released iOS 18.0 Beta 2 test version, feel free to leave a comment in the comment section and join the discussion with Mingmei Wuxian!