Apple distributes ninth beta of watchOS 5 to developers

Apple has issued a ninth beta of watchOS 5 to developers for testing, with the latest trial version of the milestone operating system arriving just four days after the last release.

The new build can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center, or via an over-the-air update for devices enrolled in Apple's testing program. A public beta version is typically released within a few days of the developer betas.

Friday's watchOS 5 developer beta has been released on a quicker timescale than its usual weekly distribution. It follows one day after Apple shipped the tenth developer beta for iOS 12, again arriving earlier than normal, just three days after the ninth beta was seeded.

The ninth watchOS 5 beta has build number 16R5360a, replacing the eighth beta with build number 16R5357a.

AppleInsider, and Apple itself, advise against installing beta releases on any mission-critical hardware, due to the potential for the loss of data. Those wishing to install beta software should do so on non-essential devices, and to retain backups of data before installing.

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