Apple has released the fourth betas of the upcoming iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, tvOS 14.5, watchOS 7.4, macOS Big Sur 11.3 and HomePod 14.5 software updates.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS:
- The new betas are here!
- Available to registered developers.
- Public beta testers can also try these out.
- The updates should drop commercially in early Spring.
iOS 14.5 beta 4 available for testing
A new over-the-air beta of the upcoming software can be downloaded via Apple’s Software Update mechanism on any device that has a prior beta installed. You’ll also need a special configuration profile available via Apple’s portal for developers at developer.apple.com.
Both new betas of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 have the build number 18E5178a.
Apple also released a slew of other updates today: tvOS 14.5 beta 4 (build number 18L5186a), watchOS 7.4 beta 4 (build number 18T5183b), the HomePod Software 14.5 beta 4 (build number 18L5186a) and macOS Big Sur 11.3 beta 4 (build number 20E5210c).
We will report if there are any new features discovered in these builds. The previous betas of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 landed two weeks ago, bringing out a new “Item Safety” feature to help prevent stalking when using tracked items.
Apple typically releases half a dozen betas for a major mid-cycle update like iOS 14.5 before launching it for everyone. The company has not said when the latest updates will release commercially, but Apple’s earlier timeframes point to an early-Spring release.