Apple on Tuesday seeded the third beta version of its upcoming iOS 12.2 software update to registered developers.
Compared to previous beta builds of iOS 12.2, beta 3 seems relatively light on changes. The tweaks and additions spotted thus far seem to be fairly minor in nature. Here’s everything in the new beta.
Changes in iOS 12.2 Developer Beta 3
- Group FaceTime has been re-enabled. The first two beta versions of iOS 12.2 won’t work with the feature since Apple killed it in the wake of the spy bug. That means users will need to download iOS 12.2 beta 3 or iOS 12.1.4 to use Group FaceTime.
- Apple has again redesigned the HomeKit and Apple TV Remote app and Control Center tile. In iOS 12.2 beta 3, it features an overall darker interface.
- The Apple News app’s header now reads “?News,” instead of “Apple News.”
- The About menu in the Settings app now lists a device’s model name.
- Fix for a bug that caused an iPhone’s charge indicator to be displayed on the Lock screen rather than the time.
While beta 3 is light on changes, the broader iOS 12.2 release will feature a slew of new additions.
Past betas of iOS 12.2 included four new Animoji characters, Apple News support for Canada in English and French, AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support for third-party smart TVs, and new scheduling options for Downtime.
Safari has also been refined with additional privacy protections that limit the ability for websites to access an iPhone’s motion and orientation data. The browser now has a new “Not Secure” tag for unencrypted websites and a more convenient Google autofill icon.
Additionally, there is a variety of smaller design changes in iOS 12.2, such as a redesign of the Wallet app’s interface and a new AirPlay icon. You can see a full list of other minor tweaks in our past coverage.
While not technically changes, iOS 12.2 also features some hints at upcoming Apple products — like AirPods 2, new iPads, and an upcoming Apple News subscription service.
iOS 12.2 beta 3 should now be available to download from the Apple Developer Center, or as an over-the-air update on devices with the appropriate configuration profile. A public testing version of beta 3 should be coming soon.
As always, we don’t recommend downloading beta software on your daily driver. But if you do, at least fully back up your device beforehand.