Home
News
You are here

Apple's iOS 11.3 update public beta is out, will you be testing the new features?

By Daniel Petrov

Updated: Jan 29, 2018, 8:55 AM

3comments

You no longer need a developer account to preview Apple's newest iOS 11.3 update, as it was just outed as a public beta, bringing with it plethora of new features that look promising, and we hope they will make their way to the final retail edition intact, with only the bugs ironed out. If you want to take it for a spin, enroll in the beta program, and download the 11.3 profile from Apple's source link below to get the update.

We know most folks with older iPhones are awaiting the update on account of the power management toggles that Apple promised to introduce after its processor throttling controversy, but that one is coming with next month's beta edition, as well as the detailed battery stats. Still, there are plenty of other excitements around the new update, and we aren't even talking of the new Animoji characters.

Our favorite so far is the ability to store iMessage chats in iCloud, which will be hanging out there, preserving your history for any subsequent device you decide to log in from afterwards, even after a prolonged period of time. The Messages in iCloud option was in the first iOS 11 beta, but was discarded as too buggy, and is now staging a comeback in 11.3. There is a plethora of other entries, so let's list what's new, as some of it is specific for the iPhone X:

Advanced Mobile Location for sending your location to emergency services when calling from iPhone
New ‘Confirm with Side Button’ prompt for purchases on iPhone X
4 new Animoji on iPhone X: Lion, Skull, Bear, and Dragon
Messages in iCloud
App Store lists version number and update size on Updates screen
Health Records in Health app automatically updated from select partners
Business Chat for iMessage in beta with Discover, Hilton, Lowe’s and Wells Fargo on board
App Store lists version number and update size on Updates screen
More prominent music video features in Apple Music
Books app
ARKit 1.5 with support for vertical surfaces like walls, irregular shaped surfaces like circular tables, support for auto-focus, and 50% higher resolution
HomeKit software authentication without chip certification
Apple TV is now an entry in the Home app

source: Apple & 9to5Mac

Will you install the iOS 11.3 beta to test the new features?

Yes

43.17%

56.83%

View Full Bio

Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.