Apple issues iOS 14.2, iPadOS 14.2 'Release Candidate' to developers and public testers

Apple on Friday seeded "Release Candidate" versions of its iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 updates to both developers and public beta testers.

The newest builds can be downloaded via the Apple Developer Center for those enrolled into the test program, or via an over-the-air update on devices running the beta software. Public betas typically arrive a short time after the developer versions, via the Apple Beta Software Program website.

The Release Candidate versions, technically the fifth betas, come about 10 days after the fourth version on Oct. 20 and include optimized AirPods charging and support for the MagSafe leather sleeve for iPhone 12.

The third round was issued on Oct. 12, the second on Sept. 29, and the first on Sept. 17.

The main alterations to iOS 14.2 relate to Control Center, such as a new Shazam icon, "people detection" measurements in Magnifier, and a refined Now Playing screen. A new Apple Watch app icon, Home app icons, and emoji under the Unicode 13 release are also included, with some developers seeing new wallpapers in later beta iterations.

AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly recommend users don't install the betas on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, as there is the remote possibility of data loss or other issues. Instead, testers should install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to make sure there are sufficient backups of important data before updating.

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.