Apple today seeded the fifth beta of iOS 11 to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta and two months after introducing the new update at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Registered developers can download the fifth iOS 11 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed.
According to Apple's release notes, in the fifth beta, iCloud Messages has been removed. Apple plans to reintroduce it in a future update to iOS 11. Today's beta fixes AirPlay, and tapping the AirPlay button in videos that are not full screen will no longer crash some apps. There's also a fix for a Calendar bug that could cause crashes when dragging items into the Calendar app, and FaceTime Live Photos is now an option that's enabled by default.
Favorites that were added to the Health app in iOS 11 beta 4 or earlier are no longer available, with Apple having restored Favorites that were selected prior to iOS 11.
iOS 11 introduces significant design changes, including a customizable Control Center and a new Lock screen that's been merged with the Notification Center. Peer-to-peer Apple Pay payments are coming in the Messages app, which is also gaining a new App Drawer, and there's a Do Not Disturb While Driving feature that's meant to help drivers stay focused on the road. Siri, Photos, the Camera app, and more are also gaining new features and refinements.
ARKit for developers will bring a range of new augmented reality apps and games to iOS devices, while a Core ML SDK has the potential to let developers build smarter apps. iOS 11 is also the biggest update ever for the iPad, with a new Dock that introduces much improved multitasking, a Files app for better managing files, improved Apple Pencil support, a revamped App Switcher, and a system-wide drag and drop feature.
iOS 11 is available for both registered developers and public beta testers and will see another month of testing ahead of a prospective September release date alongside new iPhones.
For complete details on all of the new features included in iOS 11, make sure to check out our extensive iOS 11 roundup.
