iOS 12.3 inches closer to launch with new beta

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The Apple TV app gets a raft of new features in iOS 12.3.
The Apple TV app gets a raft of new features in iOS 12.3.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The fifth beta for iOS 12.3 was released to developers this morning, arriving just one week after iOS 12.4 beta 4 came out. Apple seeded watchOS 5.2.1 beta 5, tvOS 12.3 beta 5 and macOS 10.14.5 beta 5 to developers as well.

It appears that this beta mostly focuses mostly on performance fixes as Apple readies it for launch soon. iOS 12.3 will probably be the last major update before Apple reveals iOS 13 at WWDC 2019 at the beginning of June.

Developers can download iOS 12.3 beta 5 from Apple’s online developer portal. It can also be installed via an over-the-air update if you have the previous update, or by adding the proper installation profile to your iPhone or iPad.

This has been one the longer beta testing periods Apple has had for an iOS release. Considering some the last few betas have felt a bit buggy in my personal use, it’s a good thing Apple is taking the time to get it right,

What’s inside iOS 12.3?

Updates to the Apple TV app have been the biggest focus of iOS 12.3 as Apple prepares its push into the TV streaming market. The previous iOS 12.3 betas added a new splash screen to the Apple TV app. New channels, such as Epix, were also added. There’s also a new AI recommendation engine that suggests shows based on previous viewing habits.

iOS 12.3 also tweaks the Wallet app ahead of the launch of Apple Card this summer. Release notes for iOS 12.3 beta 5 don’t mention any major UI changes. The update likely We’ll find out if there are any new surprises in it once we get it installed on our devices.

 

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