Apple Officially Releases iOS 12.2 Beta 3 to Public Software Testers
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Apple on Wednesday released the third beta of its upcoming iOS 12.2 update to members of its public beta software program.
The public beta version comes just one day after Apple seeded the build to developers. As we covered then, iOS 12.2 beta 3 is fairly light on major changes or updates — but there are still some notable additions.
Changes in iOS 12.2 Public Beta 3
iOS 12.2 beta 3 re-enables Group FaceTime. It also features another redesign of the HomeKit and Apple TV Remote, a new Apple News header, and additional device model information in the About pane in Settings.
It also fixes a bug that caused an iPhone charge indicator to display on the Lock screen rather than the time.
Finally, it seems like the third iOS 12.2 beta will also include a tweak to Siri. More specifically, the digital assistant will begin recommending Today at Apple sessions based on the apps you use and the sites you browse via Safari.
For example, if you use drawing or design apps often, it may suggest an art session. If you’re all-in on health and fitness, it may suggest a wellness session. This behavior can be tweaked via Settings > Siri & Search > Apple Store.
Past iOS 12.2 betas have also included their own share of fairly substantial updates (and hints at upcoming Apple products). These will all likely make it to the final release of iOS 12.2.
There are four new Animoji characters (a giraffe, shark, owl and boar), additional privacy protections in Safari, Apple News support for Canada (in English and French), and AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support for third-party smart TVs. There are also a bunch of design and interface tweaks.
How to Download iOS 12.2 Beta 3
Registered beta testers should now be able to download iOS 12.2 beta 3 as an over-the-air update on iOS devices with the proper certificate.
If you’re interested in testing out Apple software before release, you can sign up for the beta program here.
Beta software can be buggy, so we don’t recommend downloading it on your daily driver. At least back up your device beforehand.
iOS 12.2 itself will likely run through a few more beta builds over the next month or so before its final release to the general public.
