Apple Releases Beta 5 Versions of iOS 10.3, watchOS 3.2 and tvOS 10.2
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Apple seeded the fifth beta versions of iOS 10.3, watchOS 3.2 and tvOS 10.2 to registered developers on Wednesday, just a day after releasing macOS Sierra 10.12.4 beta 5.
As far as today’s beta versions go, they all appear to be under-the-hood releases with bug fixes and performance improvements — no major functionality has been discovered in any of the updates as of the writing of this article.
iOS 10.3 Beta 5
iOS 10.3 itself is a major update, on the other hand. Among the outward-facing features is a new Find My AirPods feature which helps AirPods owners find a missing earbud. iOS 10.3 also updates the HFS+ file system, converting it into Cupertino’s new Apple File System (APFS), which boasts several improvements over its predecessor, including better encryption and data integrity. It also adds new information on the possible phasing-out of 32-bit apps, as well as a variety of App Store changes and Wi-Fi calling for Verizon customers. There are also some subtle interface and menu changes in the update, and many users have reported a snappier and faster experience after updating.
Find My iPhone
- Find My iPhone now supports Location and Play Sound for AirPods.
- Location and Play Sound should now work as expected.
- Play Sound emits a noise from the AirPods that reaches a high volume after a few seconds. Please remove both AirPods from your ears before testing this feature.
iCloud Analytics
- During setup, users should no longer reach the “iCloud Analytics” page if they have not yet signed in.
iCloud Backup
- Nightly backups should no longer fail with the error message “Some files were unavailable during the last backup.”
LAN Asset Cache
- LAN Asset Cache functionality should now work as expected.
Lightning Video Adapters
- Lightning video adapters should now work as expected.
Managed and Shared Devices
- On managed devices, users should no longer be able to override the current iCloud Document Sync setting.
- Shared iPad settings should now work as expected.
Xcode Simulator
- The legacy iCloud button in Settings has been removed. iCloud settings are now available within the new Apple ID settings pane.
- Scrolling in the Today View should no longer crash.
- Attempting to enable iCloud Drive through the iCloud Drive app before the user is signed into iCloud should no longer cause Settings to crash.
watchOS 3.2 Beta 5
watchOS 3.2 is a similarly major update, as it adds Theater Mode to the Apple Watch. The new feature — available via a toggle in the Control Center — mutes alerts and disables Raise to Wake, letting moviegoers enjoy fewer interruptions from their smartwatch. Version 3.2 also adds advanced Siri app control, a function previously released on iOS 10.
tvOS 10.2 Beta 5
tvOS 10.2 is more of an incremental update, with a variety of bug fixes and improvements. In addition, the update improves scrolling behavior to allow for better navigation, as well as Apple Device Enrollment Program and VideoToolbox framework support. Similarly to iOS 10.3, the update also updates the Apple TV’s file system to APFS.
All three updates are available as an over-the-air download for registered Apple developers, provided that their devices are set up with the proper configuration profile. More information can be found at Apple’s developer portal.
