Malcolm Owen
Apple has quickly moved onto its second round of developer betas for its operating system updates, with new builds of iOS 14.2, iPadOS 14.2, watchOS 7.1, and tvOS 14.2 now available for testing alongside the ninth for macOS Big Sur.
The latest betas and configuration profiles can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center, with subsequent changes available as over-the-air updates on enrolled devices.
The first round of betas surfaced on September 17, which itself arrived one day after Apple released the milestone versions of iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14 to the general public.
The outlier of the group, macOS Big Sur, is in a different generation of version and a considerably higher beta build count, as it is on its ninth round of testing. The eighth beta for macOS Big Sur arrived on September 22.
The reason for the numbering of the update to iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 is unclear at this stage, as the first release version typically includes any bug fixes and performance improvements that were not included in the final release of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. It is still possible a version 14.1 of each OS will be made available down the line, before Apple releases version 14.2.
So far, the changes in iOS 14.2 focus around Control Center, including the addition of a Shazam icon, and a new "people detection" option with the Magnifier tool so users can measure how far they are from others. Larger artwork and a refined interface have also been found in the first beta, and a slightly revised Apple Watch app icon.
For macOS Big Sur, Apple is shaking out any problems with the milestone release, especially as it has to be compatible with both current Intel-based processors as well as the incoming Apple Silicon Macs, with the first expected before the end of 2020.
Aside from compatibility, the Mac operating system also includes other improvements, including design elements within Safari, and Messages becoming a Catalyst app.
Given that Apple has already released the milestone versions of iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS, it would be expected that macOS would follow suit. However the release timing is still unknown, and may be influenced by Apple introduction its first Apple Silicon Mac.
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.
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3 Comments
Lots of inconsistencies and little irritating bugs to work out. At least it’s not as terrible as 13 so far.
Since 14.2 beta came out prior. 14.0.1 took care of the default apps fiasco, it has finally been addressed in 14.2 Beta 2.
Please, please tell me that the ability to customize the menubar clock has returned again!I am really not liking that I cannot customize the menubar clock in Big Sur.
I use the Analog clock exclusively and when I do use the digital clock I always activate the seconds so that I can use it to time things and know when the exact minute is coming. Now I can do neither with this macOS. Also I do use the time announce setting when working to allow me to keep track of my time and switching tasks. Now I will have to set a bunch of calendar alarms or something else which is a waste of time!
Also don’t like that the 24 hour clock is unified with the regional settings.
I need them to return the ability to modify the clock display settings to what it was for so long!!!
This is not iOS, this is macOS and these features are not extra, they are needed.
Also mixing the clock with the widget activation is not intuitive.
Using the analog clock widget is not an acceptable solution for displaying the seconds because you cannot use an app and see the widgets at the same time.
I need to often use the menubar clock seconds to start recording or doing things at specific times and stopping them at specific times and seconds too. And now I won’t be able to do this. I’ll have to use an external watch or something which again is *not acceptable*!
And yes, I've submitted this as Feedback, but I'm hoping others will too!