Skip to main content

Fifth iOS 16 public beta now available as final release nears

After seeding beta 7, Apple is now releasing the fifth iOS 16 public beta. As the company has reportedly finished the development of iOS 16, the operating system looks almost ready for its official release in a few weeks from now – probably after the September 7 event.

Today’s build is the same as of iOS 16 beta 7. Alongside this version, the company is also making available new public betas of iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, tvOS 16, and HomePod 16 Software Version. Here are the top features.

For iOS 16, one of the most notable changes was with iMessage, which had its editing features updated:

  • Edit a message: During the first 15 minutes, users can make up to five edits to a given message, and recipients will be able to see a record of edits made to the message.
  • Undo send: Unsend any message for up to two minutes after sending it.
  • Mark as unread: Mark messages as unread when you don’t have time to respond but want to be sure to reply to the sender later. 

With the iOS 16 beta 5, Apple brought a new battery percentage icon. With that, some iPhone users can now finally see the percentage of the battery in the status bar for the first time in five years – you can learn more about it here.

Do you like the way Apple brought battery percentage back to iPhone with iOS 16?

If you’re interested in signing up for Apple’s public beta testing program, you can do so via Apple’s website right here. Apple’s new software version won’t be complete until the fall, at which point it will be released to the general public. Testers should still expect performance and stability issues when running the iOS 16 public beta on primary devices for the time being.

Apple does warn about running the iOS 16 public beta.

The Apple Beta Software Program lets users try out pre-release software. The feedback you provide on quality and usability helps us identify issues, fix them, and make Apple software even better. Please note that since the public beta software has not yet been commercially released by Apple, it may contain errors or inaccuracies and may not function as well as commercially released software. Be sure to back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and your Mac using Time Machine before installing beta software.

Learn more about what’s new in iOS 16: 

If you spot any changes in today’s new iOS 16 public beta or the other new betas from Apple today, let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @9to5Mac. Stay tuned for our full hands-on coverage of today’s releases right here at 9to5Mac today and through the rest of the week.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments