Apple issues Release Candidate betas of iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, tvOS 15.4, & watchOS 8.5

By Malcolm Owen

Apple has arrived at the sixth generation of betas, with developers able to test out new Release Candidate builds of iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, tvOS 15.4, and watchOS 8.5 to try out.

The latest builds can be downloaded by developers in the beta-testing scheme via the Apple Developer Center, or as an over-the-air update for hardware already using earlier beta builds. A public beta version usually follows shortly after the developer variant, and will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program website.

The Release Candidate betas arrives after round five, which arrived on March 1. Round four was on February 22, and round three was on February 8.

The betas surfaced a number of features, with iOS including an update to Face ID for users who often wear a mask. New emoji, Wallet support for driver's licenses, and Tap to Pay on iPhone have also appeared.

Universal Control is the main draw on iPadOS, allowing a user to use a keyboard and mouse on a Mac or MacBook to directly control a nearby iPad.

AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly advise users avoid installing the betas on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, as there is the very small chance of data loss or other issues. Instead, testers should install the betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to ensure there are sufficient backups of any important data before performing the update.

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.