Apple Cracks Down on Websites Sharing iOS 16 Developer Beta

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Two websites that provided download links for pre-release Apple software like iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, and tvOS 16 have shut down in recent weeks, including BetaProfiles.com and IPSW.dev. Both websites are no longer accessible.

iOS Tidbits Feature
In a tweet, BetaProfiles.com said it shut down to avoid a "legal battle with Apple," but it's not clear if the website (or IPSW.dev) actually received any threat of legal action from Apple or if the websites shut down on a precautionary basis. Apple, BetaProfiles.com, and IPSW.dev did not immediately respond to requests for comment.


In addition, lawyers representing Apple at Kilpatrick Townsend Stockton LLP allegedly provided Twitter with a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice related to over a dozen tweets containing links to websites like IPSW.dev. The alleged notice claimed that the tweets infringed on Apple's proprietary beta software. All of the tweets listed are no longer visible "in response to a report from the copyright holder."

IPSW.dev provided users with access to IPSW files for the iOS 16 developer beta and other pre-release Apple software, with download links via Apple's servers, file sharing website WeTransfer, and torrents, while BetaProfiles.com provided links to both beta profiles and IPSW files. BetaProfiles.com said users must be enrolled in Apple's Developer Program in order to download the profiles, but users could avoid this warning.

Apple's developer betas are only intended for members of Apple's Developer Program, which costs $99 per year in the United States, and it appears that Apple is attempting to uphold this policy by cracking down on websites like BetaProfiles.com and IPSW.dev.

Those interested in trying out Apple's betas for free can sign up for Apple's public beta program.

Update: When reached for comment, BetaProfiles.com said it received a letter from lawyers representing Apple and shut down the website to avoid potential litigation.

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Top Rated Comments

theotherphil Avatar
theotherphil
44 months ago

Apple should just offer free access to dev betas so there’s no need for these.

the developer program should be only needed if you want to submit an app to the store.
It’s called a public beta.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KrisLord Avatar
KrisLord
44 months ago
Apple should just offer free access to dev betas so there’s no need for these.

the developer program should be only needed if you want to submit an app to the store.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kc9hzn Avatar
kc9hzn
44 months ago
I understood the appeal of sites like these back before there was an Apple Watch public beta and even a HomePod public data, but now that every current Apple device gets a public beta, you might as well just join the public beta officially. It’s better than trusting the beta profiles that were probably safe but you had no way of actually confirming.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pdaholic Avatar
pdaholic
44 months ago
Apple was losing out on that $100 per year to enroll in the developer beta program. Had to shut these sites down, times are tough for a trillion dollar company.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kc9hzn Avatar
kc9hzn
44 months ago

Massive step backwards from Apple. Where there is a will there is a way even back in the day when you had to register your phone to a dev account to activate the beta

Those saying there’s a public beta that would be well and good but PB1 usually comes out after the first couple of dev betas and once public betas start coming out they come out days behind the dev betas

If people want to run betas they will. I’ve been beta testing iOS since iOS 4. My iPhone is practically never on a general release. I’ve reported so many bugs to apple prior to general release. Maybe apple should make access to dev betas open to more people or at least those who provide them bug reports through the feedback app
And there’s a good reason why the public has to wait a few weeks after the devs get it. You don’t want the general public mucking around with an alpha build or early beta build in case there are unexpected issues (or even known issues) with them. Apple doesn’t do external alphas, so having devs take the first crack at the betas means that developers who likely already know how to fill out a bug report (and who can actually test what the bug is) are the first external folks to get access. This is just software engineering best practices.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
macduke
44 months ago
Apple, we’re just going to find another way. We always have, we always will.

Sure they have public betas now, but those come out later, and updates to them come out later too.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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