Apple seeds second developer beta for iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, tvOS 16.2, watchOS 9.2

Apple has reached the second round of the current beta generation, providing developers new builds of iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2.

New betas can be acquired from the Apple Developer Center by developers signed up for Apple's test program, or via an over-the-air update for hardware already running beta software. Public betas generally appear soon after the developer versions, and are downloaded through the Apple Beta Software Program website.

Apple issued the first developer betas of iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2 on October 25. For the previous beta generation, which included iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1, release candidates were issued on October 18. The respective fifth and sixth betas arrived on October 11 and October 12.

The second iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 betas have build number 20C5043e, replacing the first build, 20C5032e. The second beta of watchOS 9.2 has build number 20S5342d, taking over from the previous one, 20S5331e. The tvOS 16.2 and HomePod software version 16.2 second beta is build number 20K5342d, up from 20K5331f.

So far, the main addition of the iOS beta is Freeform, a cross-platform collaboration tool intended for group brainstorming sessions across Apple devices.

Both AppleInsider and Apple itself strongly advise users don't install beta operating systems, or beta software in general, on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, as there is the chance of issues that could result in the loss of data. Testers should instead use secondary or non-essential hardware, and to make sure they have sufficient backups of their important data at all times.

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.