Apple Releases New Beta Versions of iOS 14, iPadOS 14, tvOS 14, watchOS 7
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Apple today released new betas of its suite of apps to developers and public testers.
It’s a big release day with the company updating not one, not two, but four of its platforms, including iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14.
The only update missing is macOS Big Sur, which likely will see its update arrive by the end of the week.
iOS 14 Public Beta 6 is an incremental update with some bug fixes and tweaks to the Control Center’s user interface.
There’s also a new time picker that replaces the traditional scrolling wheels. We noticed this change in the previous release, but Apple is further honing the interface for this much-used interface element.
Apple also added a toggle for Spatial Audio, which provides a surround-sound experience for those with AirPods Pro. Though available, this toggle does not enable this feature yet.
Each of the beta operating systems can be downloaded from Apple’s Developer Center portal. You have to be registered as a developer and be willing to participate in the testing program.
Suppose you are not a developer and still want to check out Apple’s latest software releases. In that case, you can sign up for the public Beta software program. This program typically releases beta versions a week or two later than the developer program.
According to that timetable, we would expect to see the beta seven versions arrive in early September to public testers. If you decide to install the beta software, you do so at your own risk. Be sure to back up your device and, if possible, do your testing on a backup and not your primary device.
The sixth beta follows the fifth beta, which was released to developers on August 18th. We expect to see the betas roll out every week from now on as Apple creeps closer to its final stable release. The company is expected to release the final version of iOS 14 this fall alongside the iPhone 12.
Apple is planning to unveil the iPhone 12, a new Apple Watch, Apple Glass and more during its fall press events. Official details on these events should be coming soon.
