First watchOS 5.1.2, second iOS 12.1.1 & tvOS 12.1.1 developer betas arrive [u]

By Malcolm Owen

Apple on Wednesday has issued its second developer betas for iOS 12.1.1 and tvOS 12.1.1 for testing, and has started the beta cycle for the Apple Watch once more with the first developer beta for watchOS 5.1.2.

The Software Update screen for the iOS 12.1 developer beta

Developers who have signed up for the testing program can use the latest builds after performing an over-the-air update on their enrolled devices, or can follow the instructions from the Apple Developer Center. Public beta versions typically arrive a few days after the developer betas, and can be acquired from the Apple Beta Software Program website.

The second iOS 12.1.1 developer beta is build number 16C5043b, replacing the first beta build 16C5036c.

The iOS update seems to be more an incremental build, with relatively few changes found in the operating system so far, but the incremental change to the name seems to indicate it will consist of bug fixes and performance improvements.

FaceTime appears to be the main beneficiary of the update, with the ability to take a Live Photo during calls, and changes to the bottom bar to include buttons for muting and switching the camera, among other additional options.

The first beta for watchOS 5.1.2 has build number 16S5042a. Apple unexpectedly released watchOS 5.1.1 without any betas on Monday.

The update is largely expected to include new complications for the Infograph and Infograph Modular faces, adding elements for Messages, Home, and Mail.

The second beta for tvOS is build 16K5041a, replacing the first beta build 16K5035b. Few details are known about the latest tvOS beta's features, with it likely to be a bug-fix, performance, and compatibility with iOS 12.1.1 release.

AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly advise beta users to keep from installing the software on "mission-critical" hardware, such as primary devices, due to the potential for data loss, among other possible issues. It is recommended that secondary or non-essential hardware gets used for beta testing, and that regular backups of any important data are performed.

Find any changes in the new betas? Reach out to us on Twitter at @AppleInsider or @Andrew_OSU, or send Andrew an email at andrew@AppleInsider.com.

Update: Apple has released public versions of the new iOS 12.1.1 and tvOS 12.1.1 betas.