Just a week after releasing iOS 12 beta 5, Apple on Monday issued a sixth beta of its upcoming iOS 12 software update to the developer community. The company also released sixth developer betas for watchOS 5, tvOS 12 and macOS Mojave.
Registered developers and members of Apple’s Developer Program can download and install an over-the-air update by going to Settings → General → Software Update on their iOS device.
Apple TV owners, go to Settings → System → Software Updates → Update Software. If you own an Apple Watch, apply the update by tapping My Watch → General → Software Update in the companion Watch app on your paired iPhone (the phone must be on iOS 12 beta 6).
The previous iOS beta did not bring out new outward-facing user features or any notable improvements, but that didn’t stop enthusiasts from unearthing evidence of a new dual-sim iPhone X Plus (it’s China-only) and phone call support for HomePod.
Check out iDownloadBlog’s hands-on video walkthrough of iOS 12’s beta 6.
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Here are the build numbers for the releases:
- iOS 12 beta 6: 16A5345f
- watchOS 5 beta 6: 16R5340g
- tvOS 12 beta 6: 16J5340e
- macOS Mojave beta 6: 18A353d
While Apple typically releases these beta OS updates biweekly, it’s not unusual for the company to either skip a week or release a week earlier, as it did this time around.
For those wondering, iOS 12 beta 6 came with the following new features:
- iOS 10 default wallpaper (the one with the greenish-blue waves) is no more. Apple has also reordered the wallpapers.
- The original Home app wallpapers have been replaced by three color options.
- AirPlay icon has been slightly tweaked on the Lock screen
- There’s a new splash screen on the Music app that promotes music videos
- In the Camera app in Messages, you will find a Photo library access button
- When using the camera in the Messages app, volume buttons will take a photo
At this stage, most of Apple’s efforts are focused on fixing bugs and improving general software stability. As anecdotal as it may be, I’ve personally found the fifth beta of iOS 12 and watchOS 5 to be one of the worst one in terms of stability and features support (this may explain why we’re seeing the latest betas for iOS 12 and watchOS 5 earlier than expected).
Be sure to share any novelty you may find in these OS releases down in the comments.