iOS Decoded – iOS 18.3 beta 2 changes and features [Video]

After the significant releases of iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2, Apple’s latest developer beta release – iOS 18.3 beta 2 – is shaping up to be significantly less eventful in terms of user-facing features and changes. However, there are things under the hood that may hint to what to expect from future iOS software and hardware. In this first episode of iOS Decoded, we take a deeper dive into iOS 18.3. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for future installments.

iOS 18.3 beta 2 ships with build number 22D5040d and was released to developers on January 7, 2025. The public beta followed shortly thereafter on January 8th.

This update doesn’t appear to be one that is feature-dense like the previous two big iOS releases. iPhone users will need to wait until iOS 18.4 before they see another round of big changes.

Video: iOS Decoded – iOS 18.3 beta 2

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What’s new in iOS 18.3 beta 2?

Bug and security fixes

Of course, iOS 18.3 will contain numerous bug and security fixes. And while 9to5Mac confirms that this is the case, Apple won’t disclose details related to bug fixes until after iOS 18.3 ships to the public. At that time, you’ll be able to learn about the security contents of iOS 18.3 on Apple’s security releases page.

Camera Control settings icon dark mode support

The previous beta brings dark mode support to the Camera Control icon in settings. Small change, but good for consistency.

Calculator app – repeat calculations

This is a fairly big one for those that regularly use the stock Calculator app. When iOS 18 released, it brought significant changes to the Calculator app, such as iPad support, a design update, Math Notes, etc. However, it also removed the ability to repeat calculations via repeated presses of the = sign. iOS 18.3 beta 2 has restored this functionality.

Sleep apnea notifications enabled in Brazil

Hopefully our friends in Brazil will sleep better with this change, as Apple has enabled Sleep apnea notifications in iOS 18.3 for Brazilian users.

New Intelligence Sounds in the ScreenReader framework

The ScreenReader framework utilized for accessibility gains new Intelligence Sounds, though they have not surfaced in a user-facing form as of yet.

Tamale widget references removed

Debates have been had over the fact that Apple has locked Visual Intelligence to iPhone 16 devices, when it could easily make the feature available by other means on older devices.

The Tamale widget, tested internally, would let users invoke Visual Intelligence via a widget instead of the dedicated Camera Control button found on iPhone 16-era devices. Hopefully this means that Apple is looking at alternative ways to invoke Visual Intelligence, so that users on older iPhone hardware can enjoy the feature.

Multiple next-gen CarPlay references

The iOS 18.3 beta contains multiple references to CarPlay-related areas, including a new CarPlayHybridInstrument reference added to the Maps app, alongside new strings related to AC controls.

These updates are of interest because we believe that they are related to the next-generation CarPlay interface, aka CarPlay 2, that Apple showed off at WWDC 2024. As of this writing, on January 8th, 2025, Apple still shows “first models arrive in 2024” with regard to next-generation CarPlay on its website.

This raises a few questions: Will next-generation CarPlay ever ship? If so, why did no supported cars ship before the 2024 deadline? Who’s responsible for the delay? Of course, we don’t yet have the answers to these questions, but the fact that Apple is continuing to add features to CarPlay in post-2024 beta releases could indicate that the delay originates on Apple’s end, and not with car manufacturers. It’ll be interesting to see how it eventually plays out.

Fixed the tiny Apple logo when updating the iPhone 16 Pro Max

A small bug related to iOS updates has been fixed for iPhone 16 Pro Max users.

New ISPExclaveKitServices framework

The Secure Exclave, not be be confused with the Secure Enclave responsible for securing things like Face ID and Apple Pay, is a dedicated subsystem that first appeared with the launch of the M4 iPad Pro. The next Apple hardware to ship with the Secure Exclave was the iPhone 16-lineup of phones. We look forward to an updated Apple Platform Security document with details on the Secure Exclave.

On the iPhone 16 and iPad Pro, this Secure Exclave is used to render the privacy indicators, or Secure Indicator Lights (SIL), that appear in the Dynamic Island and status bar whenever a camera or microphone is being used. On devices that lack the Secure Exclave, these indicators are rendered via software. Having these indicators rendered by dedicated subsystem hardware is a security advantage, as it reduced the opportunity for bad actors to take control of these indicators via software.

In iOS 18.3, there is a new ISPExclaveKitServices framework. The ISP, or Image Signal Processor, is used to process images from all of the iPhone’s cameras. It is the pipeline used to turn the bits of information from the sensor into a desirable-looking photo or video with things like noise reduction, filtering, etc.

ISPs can live directly on the chip, as they do in current iterations of Apple Silicon, or they can be discrete entities. There have been rumblings that Apple is working on its own in-house ISP, which could mean that future ISPs might be relocated to their own area of the Secure Exclave. Whatever the case, the ISPExclave changes could also be used with existing hardware, as it’s mostly a software architecture change.

Unreleased Apple Invites app

In the previous 18.2 beta, 9to5Mac found references to an unreleased Invites app, but the reference was eventually removed. In iOS 18.3 beta 2, the reference has returned. As we explain in a dedicated post, iOS 18.3 hints at new ‘Invites’ app from Apple to create and manage events. This appears to go beyond simple event invites made possible with the stock Calendar app.

Code suggests that the Invites app will integrate with iCloud and will even have a web version on iCloud.com. The new app also integrates with a new iOS 18 daemon called GroupKit, which manages database models for groups of people. This daemon has been present since the first release of iOS 18.0 and hasn’t been used by any Apple apps so far.

9to5Mac’s Take

This is my first episode and post of a retooled iOS beta walkthrough series. My hope is that it provides value by going more in-depth with beta updates and what their features may mean in the long term.

What are your thoughts? Sound off down below in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for future iOS Decoded videos.