Apple is now in the second round of beta for major versions of its operating system, with developers being able to try out new versions of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, tvOS 16 and watchOS 9. The latest releases can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center for People Enrolled in Developer Beta, as well as an over-the-air update on hardware already in use for beta software. The public beta versions of the developer versions are usually released shortly after the developer versions, but usually not after the initial few beta versions of the landmark. When they do, they can be obtained from the Apple Beta software website. The first developer betas for iOS 16, iPadOS 16, tvOS 16 and watchOS 9 were unveiled shortly after the WWDC keynote address on June 6. The final public releases are expected to be released by the fall. New features include Stage Manager for iPadOS, custom lock screens for iOS, and support for Nintendo Joy-Cons across all platforms. Apple has focused on collaboration and continuity tools with multiple developer APIs to make applications and devices work better together. The second version of iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 beta is 20A5303i, replacing the first, 20A5283p. The latest beta version of watchOS 9 is 20R5307h, surpassing 20R5287q. Finally, the second beta of tvOS 16 is the 20J5319h version, replacing the 20J5299n. Apple has also released the HomePod 16 beta 2 software release for members of the closed AppleSeed program. AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly recommend that users do not install beta on “shipping critical” or master devices, as there is a remote possibility of data loss or other issues. Instead, testers should install beta on secondary or non-core devices and make sure there are adequate backups of important data before updating. Audiences who want to try out the operating systems should at least wait for the public beta to launch instead of switching to the developer beta.
