Beta

Chrome 56 adds support for FLAC codec, “Not Secure” HTTP warning, web Bluetooth & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 13, 2017

Chrome 56 for Mac and other platforms has entered Google's beta channel. When released to the general public, the browser will bring native support for the FLAC audio codec within the browser and other perks. This should come in handy because macOS does not support the FLAC file format out of the box so users often must use a third-party converter or video player to play these files. With Chrome 56, Mac users will be able to play FLAC-encoded audio files embedded in web pages or local files drag and dropped onto the browser window.

Apple seeds iOS 10.2.1 beta 4 to developers and public testers

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 17, 2017

Apple on Thursday seeded iOS 10.2.1 beta 4 to developers. Registered developers and public testers can install the update either via iOS 10's OTA mechanism, or as a standalone download via Apple's website.

The release comes a few hours after Apple issued the fourth beta of macOS Sierra 10.12.3, and just a few days after beta 3 was seeded for both platforms, suggesting that they are nearing closer to public launch.

Apple seeds macOS Sierra 10.12.3 beta 4 to developers

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 12, 2017

Apple on Thursday seeded a fourth beta of what would become the third major software update to macOS Sierra since its public launch last fall. macOS Sierra 10.12.3 beta 4 (build 16D30a) is now available on Mac computers that have a prior Sierra beta installed via the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store's Updates tab.

Ryan Petrich launches new Activator, FlipSwitch, and FlipControlCenter betas with preliminary iOS 10 support

Anthony Bouchard ∙ January 10, 2017

While the jailbreak for iOS 10.1.1 is currently in beta and only supports a certain subset of devices, jailbreak developers are still ramping up for a public jailbreak by releasing new tweaks geared toward iOS 10 and updating their latest jailbreak tweaks for support.

Ryan Petrich is the latest to join that group after having released updated versions of Activator, FlipSwitch, and FlipControlCenter in his beta repository with preliminary iOS 10 support.

Cydia beta for iOS 10.1.x jailbreak released

Joaquim Barbosa ∙ December 30, 2016

Thursday saw the release of a new build of Cydia from its creator Jay Freeman (Saurik). Coming in at version 1.1.28, the build is marked as a beta, designed for use with the fledgling iOS 10.1.x jailbreak from Luca Todesco.

Although I still do not recommend the average user to jailbreak with Yalu for 10.1.x, those who are confident doing so and have already taken the plunge may find this Cydia release improves their experience running the jailbreak slightly.

Video converter Handbrake exits beta after 13 years

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 27, 2016

In a better-late-than-never move, the free cross-platform video converter Handbrake has finally hit version 1.0. The app had been languishing in beta for more than thirteen years. Handbrake 1.0, a free download for Mac, Windows, Ubuntu and other platforms, lets you convert videos easily from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs. With subtitle support, capable transcoding engine and built-in presets for devices like Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, Handbrake makes it easy to optimize videos for your specific hardware.

Delta iOS emulator beta: first impressions

Joaquim Barbosa ∙ Updated January 14, 2018

Today saw the start of the beta program for the long-awaited iOS emulator from developer Riley Testut, Delta. Capable of emulating a wide range of vintage game consoles, this spiritual successor to GBA4iOS boasts a broader feature-set and a polished UI. We managed to get one of the prized places on the Delta beta testing program, and can give you an early glimpse of how it's shaping up.

Apple seeds first watchOS 3.1.3 beta to developers

Cody Lee ∙ December 21, 2016

Apple on Wednesday released the first beta of watchOS 3.1.3 beta to developers. Members of Apple's developer program can install the new beta on any Apple Watch model by launching the Watch app on iPhone and navigating to General > Software Update.

Apple launches beta 2 of iOS 10.2.1 and macOS Sierra 10.12.3

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 20, 2016

Apple on Tuesday seeded to members of the Apple Developer Program a second beta of iOS 10.2 and a second beta of what would become the third major update to macOS Sierra. iOS 10.2.1 beta 2 (build 14D15) and macOS Sierra 10.12.3 beta 2 (build 16D17a) are now available to install over-the-air via Settings → General → Software Update on iOS devices and under the Mac App Store's Updates tab on the Mac.

Apple seeds iOS 10.2 beta 7 to developers

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 7, 2016

Just two days after releasing iOS 10.2 beta 6 to members of the Apple Developer Program and Apple Beta Software Program and five days since iOS 10.2 beta 5 dropped, the Cupertino firm on Wednesday morning seeded a seventh beta of what would become the second major software update to iOS 10 since its September 2016 launch.

iOS 10.2 beta 7 (build number 14C92) is available as an-over-the-air download via the Software Update mechanism on devices with a prior beta and an appropriate configuration profile installed. A standalone installer is available via Apple's dedicated portal for developers.

Apple seeds tvOS 10.1 beta 5 to developers

Cody Lee ∙ December 6, 2016

Apple on Tuesday seeded the fifth beta of tvOS 10.1 to developers, and it's available as an OTA download on Apple TVs with the appropriate configuration profile. The release comes just a week after beta 4, with only a slightly updated build number (14U593), suggesting that the software may be close to ready for public release.

Apple seeds iOS 10.2 beta 6, and fifth betas of watchOS 3.1.1 and macOS 10.12.2

Cody Lee ∙ December 5, 2016

Apple on Monday released iOS 10.2 beta 6, watchOS 3.1.1 beta 5 and macOS 10.12.2 beta 5. Developers can install the updates via the company's dev portal, or via each platform's respective OTA update mechanism, and both iOS 10.2 and macOS betas are available to public testers.

The new betas come one week after Apple seeded beta 4 to developers, and just a few days after iOS 10.2 beta 5 was released. The rapid rollout suggests we are close to seeing public versions of the software—likely before the iTunes Connect holiday shutdown coming up in 2 weeks.