Apple Rolls Out Typing Suggestions to Siri with New iOS 18.1 Developer Beta

iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 4 update for iPhone began rolling out by Apple on Tuesday. Like previous beta updates, the fourth developer beta introduces a new feature aimed at improving the functionality of Siri, Apple’s voice assistant. It also addresses several known issues related to Spotlight, Siri and other elements of the operating system (OS). Notably, Apple says that the iOS 18.1 update for iPhone will begin rolling out next month and that it will include several key artificial intelligence (AI) features that the company showcased at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 in June.

iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 4 update features

According to Apple’s release notes, the iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 4 brings one notable feature: improved Type to Siri functionality. First introduced in previous developer beta updates, the feature allows users to talk to Siri by typing instead of speaking. The voice assistant will now show suggestions as you type, following Apple’s latest software update.

Type to Siri Suggestions in iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 4

MacRumors reports that it also brings call recording and transcription to older iPhone models. Before the update, it was said to be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models. It can be activated by tapping on a new icon that appears in the top-left corner of the screen. All users will be notified of the start of the recording via an audible message. Once this is done, the call recording, along with the transcription, will be saved to the Notes app.

Apple’s latest update has build number 22B5045h for the iPhone 16 series and 22B5045g for the iPhone 15 and earlier models.

In addition to the new changes, the iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 4 update also brings features introduced in previous updates. The most notable highlight is Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI suite. It includes a Clean Up tool, which, as the name suggests, uses Apple’s AI model to remove unwanted objects, backgrounds, or text from images. It also bundles writing tools, with options to change the tone of text, summarize it, or generate a list. Another addition is the ability to summarize web pages in Safari when Reader View is enabled.