Apple showcased its freshly-baked iOS 17 software update at the WWDC 2023 keynote live stream this week. The latest update for iPhone is scheduled for a release later this year, sometime during the fall season.
Previously, the iOS 17 developer beta was only available to the subscribers of the $99 annual membership Apple Developer Program.
Now, the iPhone maker is allowing anyone with an Apple ID to download and install the iOS 17 Developer Beta 1. The change was first spotted by iMore and it was initially believed to be a mistake from Apple"s end. Now, Apple has confirmed the same via a support page on its developer website.
In order words, you don"t need to pay Apple a $99 fee to grab the latest beta updates for its operating systems. Earlier this year, Apple introduced a major change to how it pushed beta updates to iPhones by adding an option to the Software Update page. Before that, users had to install a beta profile on their devices every year to get the latest preview releases.
By allowing general users to install beta updates, Apple has made the process easier for them as well. To download iOS 17 Developer Beta 1, go to Settings > General > Software Update. Here, tap on Beta Updates and then select iOS 17 Developer Beta from the list. Then, come back to the Software Update page and follow the steps to install the update.
You"ll only see the option to download iOS 17 beta if your iPhone is running the latest stable update which is iOS 16.5. It"s recommended that you proceed with caution as the beta update may contain unexpected bugs and glitches that could affect your daily usage.
It"s not just iOS 17, you can also download other beta updates for free, including macOS Sonoma, iPadOS 17, and watchOS 10.
The iOS 17 update is available on various iPhone models released in the last few years, but Apple has discontinued support for some devices as well. It comes with many new features such as Contact Posters, Collaborative Playlists, StandBy mode, live voicemail, and interactive widgets.
via XDA