Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS and iPadOS 13.6 updates to developers, one week after seeding the first betas and a couple weeks after releasing iOS/iPadOS 13.5 with Exposure Notification API, Face ID updates, Group FaceTime changes, and more.
iOS and iPadOS 13.6 can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center or over the air once the proper developer profile has been installed. Note that Apple has changed the version number of this beta to 13.6. When it was first released last week, it was iOS 13.5.5.
Though the feature is not live yet, iOS and iPadOS 13.6 include signs of a new Apple News+ Audio feature, which will see Apple offering some news stories in an audio capacity.
Apple has been working with publishers to garner permission to create audio versions of some stories. Apple also plans to offer a recap of the day's top stories for subscribers to listen to.
Code in iPadOS 13.6 also suggests Apple is working on keyboard shortcuts that will allow users who have a Magic Keyboard or other attached keyboard to adjust the brightness level of the keys, but it's not clear if this will be a feature included in the update.
I'm surprised they're adding new features this late in the iOS cycle...
I like it. Use WWDC to lay out the annual roadmap (fall through summer), but don't ship everything in one go.
I suppose there will be overlap this time, though: iOS 14 beta 1 will likely drop later this month, while iOS 13.6 final might ship the same day or even after.
Look, I don’t blame Apple for this, but here is an interesting comparison: iOS 5 5.0: October 12, 2011 5.0.1: November 10, 2011 5.1: March 7: 2012 5.1.1: May 7, 2012. Now for 13: 13.0: September 19, 2019 13.1: September 24, 2019 13.1.1:September 27, 2019 13.1.2:September 30, 2019 13.1.3:October 15, 2019 13.2:October 28, 2019 13.2.1: October 30 , 2019 13.2.2: November 7, 2019 13.2.3: November 18, 2019 13.3:December 10, 2019 13.3.1: January 28, 2020 13.4:March 24, 2020 13.4.1: April 7, 2020 13.5: May 20, 2020 13.5.1: June 1: 2020 And now 13.6
I really don't think the amount of releases is an indicator of quality. Windows used to be more Service Pack-focused, where bugfixes were only released about once a year (if that). It didn't mean that Windows was more stable, just that it was on a different schedule.
Look, I don’t blame Apple for this, but here is an interesting comparison: iOS 5 5.0: October 12, 2011 5.0.1: November 10, 2011 5.1: March 7: 2012 5.1.1: May 7, 2012. Now for 13: 13.0: September 19, 2019 13.1: September 24, 2019 13.1.1:September 27, 2019 13.1.2:September 30, 2019 13.1.3:October 15, 2019 13.2:October 28, 2019 13.2.1: October 30 , 2019 13.2.2: November 7, 2019 13.2.3: November 18, 2019 13.3:December 10, 2019 13.3.1: January 28, 2020 13.4:March 24, 2020 13.4.1: April 7, 2020 13.5: May 20, 2020 13.5.1: June 1: 2020 And now 13.6
While I think it is a bit crazy how many updates iOS 13 has gotten, but at the same time I prefer this versus keeping bugs/features held back till the next year’s OS release. Things like cursor support in 13.4 was a nice mid-cycle surprise.
Just More and more ways to kill blocks of your Solid state memory by constantly slamming in big lumps of files over and over again. Brilliant!
I'm not aware of a single case where a critical amount of blocks died on an iPhone. Given how much better flash storage has become, and how relatively short the lifespan is (five years is probably stretching it), I don't think that's a big concern.
Sunday September 25, 2022 2:27 pm PDT by Sami Fathi
A YouTuber has put Apple's claims for the durability of the Apple Watch Ultra to the test by putting it up against a drop test, a jar of nails, and repeated hits with a hammer to test the sapphire crystal protecting the display.
TechRax, a channel popular for testing the durability of products, first tested the Apple Watch Ultra by dropping it from around four feet high. The Apple Watch...
Sunday September 25, 2022 10:57 am PDT by Sami Fathi
As we approach the end of a busy product release season for Apple with only new iPads and Macs left to be announced over the next month or so, we're also setting our sights on 2023. Apple is rumored to have several major products in the pipeline for next year, including new Macs, a new HomePod, a VR/AR headset, and so much more.
Other than new iPhones and Apple Watches, which are expected...
An Apple Watch Ultra user has modified their new device's casing to add a brushed finish and remove the orange color of the Action Button in an effort to make it more visually appealing.
The Apple Watch Ultra offers the first complete redesign of the Apple Watch since the product line's announcement in 2014, and while the design has been met with praise from many users, some have criticized...
Monday September 26, 2022 7:34 am PDT by Sami Fathi
Today marks exactly two weeks since Apple released iOS 16 to the public. Besides the personalized Lock Screen, major changes in Messages, and new features in Maps, the update has also seen its fair share of bugs, performance problems, battery drain, and more.
After major iOS updates, it's normal for some users to report having issues with the new update, but such reports usually subside in...
Monday September 26, 2022 7:52 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Earlier this month, Apple announced that iOS 16.1 will enable a new Live Activities feature that allows iPhone users to stay on top of things that are happening in real time, such as a sports game or a food delivery order, right from the Lock Screen. On the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, Live Activities also integrate with the Dynamic Island.
Premier League match in Dynamic Island via Paul Bradford ...
Monday September 26, 2022 6:23 am PDT by Sami Fathi
iPhone 14 Pro customers on the Verizon network in the U.S. are reporting issues with slow and unreliable 5G cellular connections and calls randomly dropping.
Several threads on Reddit (1,2,3) and the MacRumors forums chronicle issues faced by Verizon customers and Apple's latest iPhone. According to user reports, signal strength on the iPhone 14 Pro is unreliable and weak, while other...
Sunday September 25, 2022 6:50 am PDT by Sami Fathi
Apple may decide to release its remaining products for 2022, which include updated iPad Pro, Mac mini, and 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, through press releases on its website rather than a digital event, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple is currently "likely to release its remaining 2022 products via press releases,...
Tuesday September 27, 2022 10:24 am PDT by Juli Clover
The most recent beta of iPadOS 16.1 expands the controversial Stage Manager feature to older iPads, allowing it to work with iPad Pro models that have an A12X or A12Z chip, according to information Apple provided to Engadget.
The beta also removes the external display support from Stage Manager for the current time, with the feature set to return in a later iPadOS 16 update. Apple's...
Tuesday September 27, 2022 11:36 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released new betas of iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1 to developers, tweaking some of the functionality that's been introduced in prior betas and in the case of iPadOS 16.1, adding a major new feature to Stage Manager.
We've rounded up everything new in both betas below.
Wallpaper Updates
Apple has updated the Wallpaper section of the Settings app to allow users to swap between...
Monday September 26, 2022 4:42 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple Watch Ultra has been endorsed by American musician and famous watch collector John Mayer, who has been showing off the new device on his Instagram account.
"Been wearing the Apple Watch Ultra for a week... and it's great," writes Mayer over a photo of the watch. "The first Apple Watch that excited me as a mechanical watch collector." "It's loaded with capability and what I call...
Apple on September 12 released iOS 15.7 and iPadOS 15.7, delivering important fixes for multiple security vulnerabilities, including at least one that has been actively exploited.
Apple's latest mainstream iPhone models come in two sizes with A15 chip, car crash detection, satellite connectivity, and more. iPhone 14 is available now, while iPhone 14 Plus launches on October 7.
Top Rated Comments
I suppose there will be overlap this time, though: iOS 14 beta 1 will likely drop later this month, while iOS 13.6 final might ship the same day or even after.
I really don't think the amount of releases is an indicator of quality. Windows used to be more Service Pack-focused, where bugfixes were only released about once a year (if that). It didn't mean that Windows was more stable, just that it was on a different schedule.
iOS 5
5.0: October 12, 2011
5.0.1: November 10, 2011
5.1: March 7: 2012
5.1.1: May 7, 2012.
Now for 13:
13.0: September 19, 2019
13.1: September 24, 2019
13.1.1:September 27, 2019
13.1.2:September 30, 2019
13.1.3:October 15, 2019
13.2:October 28, 2019
13.2.1: October 30 , 2019
13.2.2: November 7, 2019
13.2.3: November 18, 2019
13.3:December 10, 2019
13.3.1: January 28, 2020
13.4:March 24, 2020
13.4.1: April 7, 2020
13.5: May 20, 2020
13.5.1: June 1: 2020
And now 13.6