About two weeks after the previous ones, Apple has released the fourth betas of iOS and iPadOS 16.6, macOS Ventura 13.5, watchOS 9.6 and tvOS 16.6 to developers and public beta testers.
At the same time, the beta testing of iOS and iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10 and tvOS 17 also continues which, pending the release of the first public betas, has reached the second reserved for developers.
As also seen in previous betas, these versions of Apple’s operating systems for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV are “minor updates” mainly focused on improving performance and fixing any bugs.
In iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6, however, Apple has still begun testing the “Contact Key Verification” feature in iMessage, announced late last year, which will offer users the ability to verify, using tokens, that they are actually chatting with a specific person.
This feature, Apple said at launch, was designed to provide additional protection for users subject to extraordinary digital threats, such as journalists, human rights activists and government officials.
These betas can be installed in OTA mode, directly through the appropriate menu in the system settings, by developers (and public beta testers) who have already installed a beta of previous versions or by going to “Software update”, clicking the ” Beta Updates” and choosing iOS 16 Developer Beta (or Public Beta). Users, through this menu, will also be able to choose whether to move to iOS 17.
Starting with iOS 16.4, Apple has definitively eliminated the profile system, offering everyone the possibility of being able to install the developer betas for free, at their own risk. Whether it is a developer program or public beta testing, it will always be necessary to register your Apple ID on the appropriate portal.
For installation on iPhone and iPad, remember that it is necessary to have at least 20% charge remaining or to keep the device connected to the mains. For watchOS, the app on the connected iPhone must be used and the Apple Watch must have at least 50% autonomy and be within range of the iPhone‌ it is associated with.
