How to Sign Up for the iOS Public Beta
If you want to get the latest iOS early, sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program by following these steps:
What Is a Public Beta?
In software development, “beta” is the name given to a pre-release version of an app or operating system. Software is considered beta when it’s in an advanced stage of development, but isn’t yet complete. The basic features are in place but the software isn’t ready for use by the general public because there some things still need to be done, such as fix bugs, improve speed, and polish the product. Traditionally, beta software is distributed only within the company that’s developing it or to a trusted set of testers. Beta testers work with the software, look for problems and bugs, and report to the developers to help improve the product. A public beta is slightly different. Instead of limiting the beta tester group to internal staff or small groups, the software is made available to the general public. This expands the amount of testing that’s done, which leads to better software.
What Are The Risks of the Public Beta?
While getting new software months before it’s released is exciting, it’s important to understand that public betas are not for everyone. Betas have bugs. This means that the beta software may crash often, features and apps may not work properly, and data may be lost. It’s also tricky to return to the previous version after the beta software is installed. To uninstall the beta, you should be comfortable restoring your phone to factory settings, restoring from backup, and other maintenance tasks. When you install beta software, the trade-off for early access is that things may not work as well as normal. If that’s too risky for you—and it will be for a lot of people, especially those who rely on their iPhones for work—wait for the official release.
