Post the announcement of iOS 17, Apple promptly unveiled the first developer betas of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. After a fortnight, the company has launched the second betas of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 for developers. The initial beta introduced numerous novel features, and now users are eager to explore the updates brought about by the second beta. Let’s examine these developments in more detail.
Currently in the early stages of testing, iOS 17’s beta testing will continue until the public version is ready to roll out, an event slated to coincide with the launch of the new iPhone series. The Public Beta of iOS 17 is expected to be available in the coming month.
Considering the plethora of new features packed into iOS 17, it is likely that a substantial number of users have already installed the iOS 17 beta on their devices. As the beta testing phase moves forward, more features will likely be introduced in future beta updates.
Simultaneous Release of Developer Beta Updates for Other Devices
Alongside the iOS 17 beta testing, Apple has released new developer beta updates for other devices. These include watchOS 10 Beta 2, macOS Sonoma 14 Beta 2, tvOS 17 Beta 2, and visionOS Beta 1. Notably, both iOS 17 Developer Beta 2 and iPadOS 17 Developer Beta 2 share the same build number, 21A5268h.
New Features and Updates Introduced in Second Developer Beta
The second developer beta has delivered several changes and new features, as anticipated. Key updates include:
- Modem Update: The Software Update page now offers new options like ‘Update Now’ and ‘Update Tonight’, with further information including links for the beta program and developer program.
- AirDrop Enhancement: A new feature that allows sharing by holding two iPhones close together is now enabled.
- New Widget: A new transparency square-shaped Analog clock widget has been introduced.
- Siri Update: Users can now choose their messaging app when sending messages via Siri.
- Notification Update: A new ‘Motion Wake’ option in Night Mode enables display of Notifications in Standby Mode.
- Haptic Touch: A new ‘Default’ option has been added alongside ‘Fast’ and ‘Slow’.
- Crossfade Functionality: The ‘Crossfade’ feature now operates without causing settings to crash.
- Safari Update: The ‘Profile’ feature is now available under Personal Tab Groups in Safari.
- App UI Updates: Several UI changes have been made in various apps.
- Bug Fixes: A range of bug fixes have been implemented.
Availability of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 Second Beta
The second beta of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 is available to users with developer accounts, including those with free accounts. Users already on iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 will receive the second beta update over the air. Those on iOS 16.5 or iOS 16.6 will need to sign in with their developer account to see the update option on the Software Update page. This can be accessed via Settings > General > Software Update.
