Shortly after the release of the iOS 11.3, Apple has delivered the first public beta version for the next major software update, the iOS 11.4. The public beta 1 includes new system fixes and features that will make the current iOS 11 build more stable, but the highlights of this iOS 11.4 beta would be the Messages in Cloud and AirPlay 2.
Interestingly, these two features are supposed to be included in the iOS 11.3 release, but they were dropped later on for reasons that were unspecified.
As reported by 9to5Mac, the iOS 11.4 public beta 1 was made accessible to software developers early this week. The developers will be the first to test the new features of the latest software version, and they are also expected to report any issues and come up with suggestions to improve the next build of the software.
The first in the list of new features in the iOS 11.4 is Messages in Cloud, a tool that synchronizes the user's messages across multiple devices. When the user deletes a message on one Apple device, say an iPhone, the same message will also be deleted on his or her other iPad or Mac devices. This can also be a way to free up more storage space, as only new messages will remain stores while the older ones will be transferred to iCloud memory, according to CNET.
The iOS 11.4 public beta 1 also has the AirPlay 2, which is the updated version of the current AirPlay wireless standard feature. The AirPlay has been around since 2010, and the latest iOS 11.4 update will be adding helpful improvements such as HomeKit integration, multi-room audtio, and other audio-related enhancements. The AirPlay 2 was supposed to be featured in the early versions of iOS 11 and tvOS 11, as announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last year, although it was later on removed.
Other features included in the iOS 11.4 public beta 1 are the new ClassKit framework, which are intended for developers so that they can add the Schoolwork app to their own software, as well as the HomePod stereo pairing. However, the latter feature cannot be tested just yet as the main HomePod update for iOS is not yet released.
