Skip to main content

public beta

See All Stories

How-To: Downgrade iOS 9.1 public beta to current iOS 9.0 release

iOS 9 iPhone 16-9

iOS 9 marked the first major version of the iPhone and iPad software that Apple opened up for public beta testing after a similar trial run with iOS 8.3 last year. As many users have noticed, Apple’s public beta program is continuing with the upcoming iOS 9.1 release available as an OTA (over-the-air) update for non-developer testers, but many users will surely want to hop off the beta train and onto the stable release cycle with today’s iOS 9.0 release.

Several readers have already asked about downgrading from the iOS 9.1 public beta to today’s iOS 9.0 release, and while it’s possible it does come at a cost: potentially losing some important data. If moving from iOS 9.1 public or even dev beta to today’s official iOS 9.0 release is worth it for you, read on for a detailed guide for doing just that.
Expand
Expanding
Close

First build of iOS 9.1 now available to public beta testers

iOS 9.0 may not yet be available to the public, but Apple is already seeding the next version of the mobile operating system to testers. Yesterday developers got their hands on the first version of iOS 9.1, and today the same has been made available for users on the public iOS beta.

To download the new build, which includes support for new emoji characters, users can head over to the Apple Beta website and enroll their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. After a reboot, iOS 9.1 should show up under the Software Update tab in the Settings app.


Expand
Expanding
Close

RSS client Reeder 3 releases public beta for OS X Yosemite

Site default logo image

Reeder 3 public beta

We know the developer behind the popular RSS client Reeder has been working on a version 3.0 update for OS X 10.10 Yosemite as we last saw a teaser in April. Today users get the first chance to try out the redesigned RSS service reader as the first public beta for Reeder 3 has gone live. The updated version sports a user interface designed for Yosemite and beyond, more themes for making reading comfortable, and even a few OS X El Capitan features. Reeder says the new version will be available as a free update to current Reeder 2 customers when it’s completed.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple releases OS X 10.11 Public Beta 2 to testers

Site default logo image

Screen Shot 2015-07-22 at 11.44.51 AMFollowing this week’s fourth developer preview of OS X 10.11, Apple has released the second El Capitan public beta to testers. The OS X public beta allows Mac users to test the new features included in the operating system update and submit feedback ahead of its public release later this fall. Participation in Apple’s public beta program does not require a paid developer member account. OS X 10.11 public beta 2 includes the same changes as yesterday’s OS X 10.11 beta 4 release.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple seeds iOS 9 public beta 2 to testers

Site default logo image

ios9

Roughly two weeks after the initial release, Apple has pushed out an update to users testing the iOS 9 public beta on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The latest public beta release follows the earlier release of iOS 9 beta 4 for registered developers developing for the upcoming operating system update. iOS 9 is set to be completed and shipped to all users later this fall. iOS 9 public beta 2 mirror’s yesterday’s iOS 9 beta 4 release.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Happy Hour Podcast 023 | What’s new in iOS 9 beta 3, opinions on Apple News, and watchOS 2 downgrades

happy-hour1

This week we’re talking iOS 9 beta 3. What’s new? Why should you care? We’ll go over all of the new and upcoming features in iOS 9 as well as a new public beta program for iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan. Along with that, we discuss Apple’s new watchOS 2 downgrade protocol and some great news for iOS device owners in the UK. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/214794517?secret_token=s-qNIug” params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]


Expand
Expanding
Close

iOS 9 public beta to be released today via Apple’s Beta Program (U: Available)

Site default logo image

ios9

Update: The public beta is now available via Apple’s Beta Program site. Instructions on how to go about installing can be found here.

Alongside the public beta of OS X 10.11 El Capitan, Apple today has announced that it will release the public beta of iOS 9 later today. The public beta will allow users to test the new features of iOS 9 before Apple launches in a stable build of the operating system this fall. Users can sign up to be a Beta Program member on Apple’s Beta Program site.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Mac OS X El Capitan public beta to be released today for free (U: Available)

Site default logo image

El-capitan-windows-3

Update: The OS X El Capitan beta is now available via Apple’s website. Instructions on how to enroll your device in the program and update can be found here.

Apple’s public beta of OS X El Capitan will be released today, according to Apple’s website. The build is meant to be tested by users wanting to preview the upcoming version of the operating system, which will be released for free this fall. Users can sign up to be an OS X Beta Program member on Apple’s site here.


Expand
Expanding
Close

How-To: Prepare your iPhone, iPad or Mac for iOS 9 + OS X El Capitan public betas

ios9ipad

Up until recently, unfinished “beta” versions of iOS and OS X were only officially available to registered Apple developers, enabling companies to make their apps compatible before the operating systems were publicly released. But to increase openness and expand its pool of beta testers, Apple decided to offer “public betas” of both iOS and OS X to interested users, starting with iOS 8.4 and OS X Yosemite. Very soon, both iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan will become available as public betas under the Apple Beta Software Program, which you can sign up for here.

Should you install these new and unstable betas on your iPad, iPhone, or Mac? What can you really expect after doing so? Below, I’ll provide you with some guidance so you can make an informed decision to participate in the public betas, or hold off…


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Apple releases OS X 10.10.3 build 14D130a for public and developer betas

OS X 10.10.3

Three days after the last release, Apple has seeded an updated build of the OS X 10.10.3 software update for Mac. The new build ranks in at 14D130a, just a few steps above the 14D127 build released at the start of the week, for both developers and public beta testers. The update measures in at 1.52GB and highlights stability and security improvements.

The new version of OS X Yosemite includes the all-new Photos for Mac app, new and diverse emoji characters, improved login for Google accounts, and developer APIs for Force Touch on the new 12-inch MacBook and 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro. While Apple has not shared the exact release date for OS X 10.10.3, it describes the included Photos app as “coming this spring” meaning the public release is likely imminent. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple seeds second public build of iOS 8.3 beta, fourth beta for developers

Site default logo image

iOS 8.3 beta 4 (developers)

Apple has just seeded the latest beta of iOS 8.3 to its public beta users. The first beta was sent out just under two weeks ago. The build is also available over-the-air to developers, making it the fourth beta for those users. It’s also available on the iOS developer center.

Along with the new iOS beta comes a new Xcode beta. The Xcode 6.3 beta comes with a build number of 6D554n and includes support for Swift 1.2. A beta update for the third-generation Apple TV has also been pushed out.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Happy Hour Podcast 006 | New Apple Watch details, a controversial Steve Jobs flick, and the future of USB-C with Apple

happy-hour

Welcome to Happy Hour 006. In this episode Zac, Seth, and Benjamin discuss new Apple Watch details and wrap up the need-to-know information, a new controversial Steve Jobs documentary, and the future of USB-C. How will it affect future iOS devices and Macs? The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed…

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/196449768?secret_token=s-WhO3T” params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]

Click here to subscribe on iTunes or listen to the episode embedded above.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple seeds OS X 10.10.3 build 14D105 to developers and Public Beta users

Site default logo image

Screenshot 2015-03-16 12.56.54

Less than a week following the previous seed, Apple has released build 14D105 of the upcoming OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 to both developers and users of the Public Beta. Apple has not yet said when 10.10.3 will be released to all OS X Yosemite users, but the increase in seeds in recent weeks likely indicates that a wider launch is fast approaching. As we’ve previously detailed, 10.10.3 will include the all new iCloud-based Photos app for the Mac, developer APIs for the new Force Touch Trackpad on the MacBook and MacBook Pro with Retina display, and a new Emoji picker across the system.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple announces iWork for iCloud, new apps for Mac and iOS coming later this year

Site default logo image

Confirming our earlier suspicions, Apple today showed off some new features for its iWork suite of apps, which includes both Mac and iOS versions of the Pages, Numbers, and Keynote apps. While Apple confirmed that new versions of the apps for Mac and iOS would be coming later in the year, it spent its presentation today showing off brand new web versions of the apps designed to run right in the browser through iCloud.com. The new web apps, available initially only to developers starting today, will be dubbed ‘iWork for iCloud’ and bring web apps to iCloud that will compete directly with Google Docs and Google’s other suite of web apps.

Apple execs spent much of the time on stage showing off the new Pages for iCloud app, demoing how users can drag and drop Microsoft Word files and other documents directly into the iCloud.com UI in their browser to begin editing a document. Apple also briefly demoed presentations and spreadsheets running in web versions of the Numbers and Keynote apps.

During the demo of the new iWork for iCloud apps, Apple also made a point of noting that the new apps run in any browser by showing off the apps running on Windows 8.

The new apps are available as developer beta starting today. A public beta of the new iWork for iCloud apps will be arriving later this year. Apple didn’t mention any details regarding pricing, or whether or not the web apps will be a separate purchase from the apps currently available on Mac and iOS.