Apple offers second developer beta of iOS 12.4, first public beta version [u]

Apple has moved on to the second round of betas for its latest operating system testing cycle, issuing a new build of iOS 12.4 for developers to try out on their devices just five days after the first.

The latest build can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center for those taking part in the Developer Beta program, as well as via an over-the-air update for hardware already used for beta software. Public beta versions of the developer builds are usually issued within a few days, and can be acquired from the Apple Beta Software Program site.

The new betas arrive a short time after the first wave of this cycle, which were distributed on May 15. The second developer beta of iOS 12.4 is build number 16G5027i, up from 16G5027g used for the first build.

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So far, there have not been any major changes to the operating systems that can be seen, with the updates largely expected to relate to performance, bug fixes, or future yet-to-launch services for the moment. One example may be underlying functionality required for the upcoming Apple Card, which is anticipated to launch this summer in the United States and entail a number of alterations in how the Wallet app functions in iOS.

AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly recommend users don't install the betas on primary devices or hardware they deem as "mission critical" at all, as there is the highly remote possibility of data loss or other issues. Testers should instead install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices as a safer alternative, and to always make sure there are sufficient backups of important data before updating.

Update: The first public beta for iOS 12.4 is now available as well.

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.