Apple resumes beta testing upcoming iOS and macOS versions [Updated]

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Apple resumes beta testing upcoming iOS and macOS versions
Developers got their first look at macOS 12.4, iOS 15.5 and more on Tuesday. And the public could join in starting Wednesday.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

After a three-week hiatus, Apple seeded to developers beta versions of all its operating systems on Tuesday. That includes macOS Monterey 12.4, iOS 15.5 and more. On Wednesday, the public was also given the option to test these.

These pre-release versions for iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, etc. first came out on the same day Apple announced the date for its WWDC Developers Conference. Beta testing for the five just-released OS versions is expected to end around the same time as the conference.

Apple now testing the first betas of macOS 12.4, iOS 15.5 and more

Apple gives third-party software developers and the public the opportunity to beta test all its operating systems. These are seeded first to devs, then later to the public. The hope is all these testers will report any bugs they find so Apple can remove them.

This also gives the first look at what’s coming in the next versions of OSs. But so far, all that’s turned up in macOS 12.4 beta 1, iOS 15.5 beta 1, iPadOS 15.5 beta 1, watchOS 8.6 beta 1 and tvOS 15.5 beta 1 are small tweaks.

That’s not surprising. Apple already implemented the changes to its various operating systems promised at WWDC21. And WWDC22 will almost certainly include the unveiling of macOS 13, iOS 16 and all the rest. That’s where Apple’s focus should be.

But there is a warning that Universal Control won’t work between a Mac is on the new beta and an iPad that is not, or vice versa. Either don’t install either, or get both macOS 12.4 beta 1 and iPadOS 15.5 beta 1.

Betas are not just for devs

When the pre-release versions of iOS 15.5, macOS 12.4, watchOS 8.6, etc. first appeared, they were only for developers who had joined the Apple Developer Program, which costs $99 a year.

But now the public beta can access them too.  All that’s required is joining the Apple Beta Software Program., which is free.  Just be warned: betas are inherently buggy.

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