Apple releases sixth betas of iOS 14, iPadOS 14, tvOS 14, watchOS 7 [u]

By Malcolm Owen

Apple is now on its sixth round of betas for its milestone operating system releases, providing developers with new builds of iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14 for testing.

Builds of each operating system can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center by those taking part in the testing program, along with the option to perform an over-the-air software update for devices already enrolled into the scheme. A public beta is typically made available shortly after the developer version is distributed, via the Apple Beta Software Program website.

The sixth batch of betas follows on from the fifth round, released on August 18, August 19 for macOS Big Sur. Previous betas were made available on August 4, July 22, July 7, and June 22.

At the time of publication, macOS Big Sur's beta has yet to be released, but is expected soon.

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The Home screen and app interface for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 have seen major alterations, along with changes to Messages and Safari, Siri's interface, and Maps. The operating system also gains Sound Recognition alerts and CarKey, among other features.

The Apple Watch's watchOS 7 update brings enhanced Sleep Tracking, new faces, watch face sharing options, and new workout types.

The Home app is being added to tvOS 14, accompanied by HomeKit Secure Video alterations and improvements to Apple Arcade.

Both AppleInsider and Apple strongly suggest users avoid installing betas on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, due to the potential for data loss or other issues. Instead, the recommendation is to install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to ensure there are sufficient backups of important data before making any major changes.

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 also released public beta versions of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 for testing.