Malcolm Owen
Apple has moved on to the second round of developer betas for its fall release of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.
Developers who are part of the beta program can obtain the most recent builds by either accessing the Apple Developer Center or updating their devices that are already running the beta versions. Members of the public can also access the developer beta using a free tier of the program, however it is generally advised to wait for proper public versions to be offered via the Apple Beta Software Program.
The second betas bear the build number 21A5268h, replacing the first build, number 21A5248v.
Among the changes in iO 17 are Contact Posters, updates to AirDrop, a catch-up arrow and extra features in Messages, a journaling app, Stand By, and more. For iPadOS 17, the changes include a customizable lock screen, the Health app, Live Activities, and many features carried over from iOS.
AppleInsider and Apple strongly suggest users don't install beta operating systems or other beta software on "mission-critical" or primary devices, as there is the small chance of issues that could result in the loss of data. Testers should instead use secondary or non-essential hardware and ensure they have sufficient backups of their critical 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.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
3 Comments
Warning: This iPadOD 17 Beta 2 version installation failed miserably on my iPad Pro 10.5". It got to a point where it asked me to press the Home button and enter my login PIN to continue. Unfortunately, it no longer recognized my login PIN. Had to do a full recovery back to iPadOS 16 and restore from iCloud.
This is kind of surprising since iPadOD 17 Beta 1 was working very well on the same iPad Pro. I loved the new widget changes.
I'm concluding at this point that it is not safe to assume that each subsequent Beta is a refinement of the previous one. Apple may be pushing out new and fundamental changes in any beta that have not been present in previous Betas. This means that you can be crushed at any time. Don't assume that surviving any one Beta is putting you in the clear for subsequent Betas. As long as Apple is labeling something as Beta they can change everything and anything they want. Be prepared to restore your Beta machines at all times.
Updated iPhone 14Pro, iPad Pro, Air M2 all with out issue. Upgraded from Dev Release 1.
Saw another person on another Apple fan site had the exact same issue with iPad Pro 10.5”. If you’re using that model iPad Pro proceed with caution.