First Beta of iOS 12 Now Available for Registered Developers

Following the conclusion of today's keynote event, where Apple introduced new versions of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, Apple has made the first beta of iOS 12 available for developers for testing purposes and to build new iOS 12 features into apps ahead of the software's public release.

Registered developers can download the first iOS 12 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air after installing the proper certificate.

iOS 12 is a major overhaul to the iOS operating system that introduces tantalizing new features like Group FaceTime, local multiplayer shared AR experiences, new Animoji, and a Memoji feature that's designed to let you create a personalized Animoji that looks just like you.

Animoji, stickers, text, and more can be used in FaceTime and the Messages app, and there's a new Screen Time feature to help customers understand and manage the amount of time they're spending on their iOS devices.

Siri has been improved in iOS 12 with Siri Shortcuts, which is designed to allow Siri to work with any app.

Under-the-hood improvements to iOS 12 will make everyday tasks on the iPhone and iPad faster and more responsive, with the camera launching up to 70 percent faster and the keyboard showing up up to 50 percent faster.

Only registered developers are able to download the iOS 12 beta at this time. As Apple has done in the past, a public beta for public beta testers will be provided later this summer after the software has gone through a couple rounds of developer testing.

iOS 12 will be available as a beta for several months as Apple works out all of the kinks and bugs. The update will see a public launch in the fall alongside new iPhones. iOS 12 will be available on all devices able to run iOS 11.