Welcome to Apple updates! Today we will be talking about the new iOS 18.1 RC Release Candidate (RC). The final version is due October 28th. But, the RC version is already available. The current RC version was already released last October 21st. It was a week before the final version. The build number is important too. It shows what changes are made in this version.
I tested this RC version on my iPhone 11. This older version had so many issues, but apparently, they’re all resolved now. The RC version often has features which are in the final version. So, if you update now, you might not need to update again on the 28th.
Update Size and Storage
The update size is pretty huge. The RC version is nearly 7 GB. If you possess an iPhone 16 Pro, the needed storage is about 8 GB. There is not much of a difference in storage needs from previous versions. For example, writing tools and Siri have new animations. Siri has many new features as well. There are better search options in photos and a clean-up feature for notifications.
New Features
- Photos have a better search and clean-up feature.
- Notifications are grouped by app, so you won’t see the same app’s notifications repeatedly.
- The new clean-up feature helps remove unwanted objects from photos.
For example, I tried to remove a car from a photo. The app did remove it, but it made the photo look messy. It’s better than before, but it still needs improvement.

iOS 18.1 RC Released: What You Need To Know
Call Recording Feature
Another feature is call recording. Yes, you can record calls on your iPhone 11. Once you accept a call, there’s a small icon at the top left corner. That means the call is being recorded. It does send an alert saying that the call is being recorded. The recordings are saved in the Notes app.
Control Center Updates
The Control Center itself also underwent a change. Now you’ve got separate icons for Wi-Fi and mobile data, so you can add shortcuts to AirDrop and even more. It is much easier to use it while controlling your connections.
Performance and Touch Issues
When I upgraded to iOS 18.1, there were some changes that brought me new improvements, but not always the best result. Touch response is now much better than that in the previous version, where touch was quite unresponsive. Still, it is not as sensitive as I wish. Some users of iPhone 11 have stated that their phones restart, and I do not have that problem so far. However, sometimes I observe that applications sometimes crash, especially in the settings app.
Many bugs were there in the previous updates. For instance, videos in 4K at 60fps had stutters. This is now finally fixed with the new update. Videos play better now.
Battery Life and Heating
There was one thorn when it came to battery life due to updates. Well, I have been using iOS 18.1 and still see slight improvements on my battery life. It feels so stable now that the phone does not eat away at the battery that quickly as it used to do before the update. And heating problems are slightly improved. It does not heat up even as much as it would have done before updating it.
Do You Need To Update?
If you are on a beta version like beta 5, 6, or 7 you definitely need to update towards the RC version. So far, the performance is better, and the battery life seems to be even more stable than before. Of course, there are several bugs and issues that were already present in earlier versions, so it is good these get fixed. Though, if on 28th October, the final version is similar to the RC, then there may still be some problems.
Conclusion
In general, iOS 18.1 brought many improvements. The phone works even smoother, and battery life is quite better. If you have upgraded, please share your experience in the comments below. So, what’s going on with stability, heating, and battery life? If you’re still doubtful or have other questions, feel free to ask. In case you liked this information. please like this post.