We discuss if you should install the iOS 16 beta on your iPhone and talk about our experience in terms of teething issues, bugs, battery life and so forth.
- iOS 16 is currently in its third developer beta. Apple recently launched the iOS 16 public beta, but is it worth installing on that iPhone you use daily?
- There are pros and cons to using prerelease software. In this video, we talk about our experience with the iOS 16 beta, bugs, speed, battery life and more.
- We’re almost halfway through the iOS 16 beta cycle. Apple will continue releasing new iOS 16 betas ahead of a public launch sometime this fall.
Should you install the iOS 16 beta on your iPhone?
Our videographer Michael Billig (@michael_billig) discusses these topics in the video included at the top of this post. Michael was on the first developer beta of iOS 16 and also installed beta 2 and beta 3 on his iPhone, which makes him perfect to compare developer betas against the first iOS 16 public beta. Apple allows the general public to download and test iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS betas. Read: How to dramatically speed up watchOS software updates on Apple Watch
How to sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program
All you need to do is sign up for a free account on the Apple Beta Software Program website at beta.apple.com with your Apple ID (a regular Apple ID will do, no need to have a developer Apple ID account), After that, you’ll need to enroll your device in the beta, which involves download a special configuration profile from the website. This configuration profile tweaks the Software Update mechanism so that the iOS 16 beta appears as an over-the-air download. Read: How to update AirTag firmware
If you aren’t an early adopter and don’t want to live on the bleeding edge, hold off until iOS 16 launches publicly in September. We have put out several iOS 16 hands-on video walkthroughs highlighting the different aspects of the operating system, including its lock screen magic as well as hidden features and lesser-known ones.