Apple Aiming to Improve Software Quality With iOS 16 by Encouraging Beta Testers to Submit Bugs

Apple is taking extra steps with iOS and iPadOS 16 to encourage those testing the company's latest software to submit bugs and issues they experience so they can be fixed ahead of the software's launch this fall.

ios 16 lock screen feature
Apple this week announced iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and macOS Ventura, each major updates for their respective platforms. None of the updates will be available to the general public until later this fall, but over the summer, members of Apple's developer program will test and run the software on their devices. The testing is meant to help developers prepare their apps for the updates and allows Apple to fix and receive feedback on the updates before they ship to millions of customers.

As the software are pre-release software, they are typically filled with bugs and issues. Beta testers can submit issues they find using the Feedback app that comes pre-installed. The process of submitting bugs and feedback is, however, sometimes complicated, and beta testers don't always submit issues they encounter. The lack of feedback makes it harder for Apple to identify and patch bugs before the software launches, but Apple is hoping to change that this year.

ios 16 beta pop up
Starting with iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 beta 1 released this week, if an iPhone or iPad experiences a crash, reboot, or serious system-wide bug, the system will automatically prompt the beta tester to submit the issue to Apple, including any relevant logs that could be used by Apple's engineer in fixing the problem.

Ahead of WWDC this week, Apple also shared tips on how to submit effective bug reports. Apple's tips include making sure beta testers report bugs as soon as they happen, making sure the reports are concise and detailed enough to allow Apple to reproduce the issue, and ensuring any relevant screenshots or screen recordings of the problem are filed, if applicable.

Apple has over the years come under increased scrutiny from users over buggy and unstable software updates. iOS 15, the current version of iOS, was plagued by issues when it launched in September 2021.

With a slate of new software updates coming this fall, Apple is clearly hoping the new pop-up and advisory to developers will help it find and address issues before the updates launch, resulting in a more stable experience for customers. Members of the public will have a chance to test iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, and watchOS 9 later next month.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Top Rated Comments

ghostface147 Avatar
24 months ago
Then actually respond and fix the bugs.
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antiprotest Avatar
24 months ago
But will they listen?

On the Apple support forums users complain about decade-old bugs all the time. Some of the topics span tens of pages, with many users reporting the same issues. They have submitted the bugs via the official web page. They have talked to Apple support in person, even escalating the issues to supervisors. The bugs are still there.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Arguyle Avatar
24 months ago
I have been submitting a bug report since iOS 8 of the fact that when iOS is set to proper measures Siri continues to respond in the UK to questions in ancient roman measurements such as miles.

Never have Apple fixed this. Nobody under the age of 72 in the UK learned what miles, yards, feet, hogsheads etc... are despite they may think they know. Those of us aware may wish to have a response from Siri in metric since we have set our phone up to use metric, the system of measures 96.2% of humans use.

Already submitted the bug report for iOS 16 within minutes, along with a few others (like Find My is also now jumped back to using miles for no reason when I have everything set to metric). Lets see if Siri is finally fixed for this mild but significant bug, or if Apple once again ignore it.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ddtmm Avatar
24 months ago
Pretty sure they know what the bugs are. They just need to start fixing them. I still say they should move to release a new OS every 2 years and focus on more bug fixing. Hopefully this is a first step.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mxrider88 Avatar
24 months ago

Then actually respond and fix the bugs.
I came here to say exactly this. I reported over 60 bugs over the years and I rarely got a response or a fix.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
exoticSpice Avatar
24 months ago

Then actually respond and fix the bugs.
Well they want too, that's why Apple included the new prompt that pop up
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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