Apple Seeds Fifth Betas of iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 to Developers [Update: Public Beta Available]

Apple today seeded the fifth betas of upcoming iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two weeks after the release of the fourth betas.

iOS 16
Registered developers can opt in to the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to Software Update, tapping on the “Beta Updates” option and toggling on the iOS 16 Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 may lay the groundwork for iMessage Contact Key Verification. The feature is meant to let Apple device owners verify that they are messaging with the people they intend to message rather than a malicious entity that has intercepted a message or is eavesdropping on a conversation.

In the first beta, hints of iMessage Contact Key were available, but the option was not fully enabled and the references have since been removed, so it remains unclear if this is something we can expect to see in iOS 16.6.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
vision pro video recording

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

Friday May 16, 2025 7:43 am PDT by
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal. In the year following the device's launch, user feedback suggests that it has failed to meet expectations for comfort, software support, and social acceptance. In interviews conducted by T...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Could Debut Advanced Silicon Battery Tech

Friday May 16, 2025 8:00 am PDT by
The upcoming all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Japanese supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June. According to DigiTimes, TDK CEO Noboru Saito revealed in a recent interview that the Apple supplier has accelerated its production timeline, moving shipments...
fortnite apple featured

Apple Says Fortnite for iOS Isn't Blocked Worldwide, Just the U.S.

Friday May 16, 2025 9:58 am PDT by
Apple today clarified that it has not blocked Epic Games from updating the iOS Fortnite app in the European Union, but it is not planning to allow Epic Games to offer Fortnite in the United States App Store at the current time. In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said that Epic Games tied its U.S. App Store submission to the update that was also being submitted to the Epic Games Store for iOS ...

Top Rated Comments

Realityck Avatar
24 months ago
To devs today, still some issues as no RC yet

* iOS 16.6 beta 5 (20G5070a) - July 10, 2023
* iPadOS 16.6 beta 5 (20G5070a) - July 10, 2023
* macOS 13.5 beta 5 (22G5072a) - July 10, 2023
* watchOS 9.6 beta 5 (20U5570a) - July 10, 2023
* tvOS 16.6 beta 5 (20M5571a) - July 10, 2023
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hovscorpion12 Avatar
24 months ago
Thank you so much @Realityck!!

Looks like GMs/final builds could some soon. I suspect public release end of July
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scott H Avatar
24 months ago
16.6 has been working great!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
24 months ago
This is a long beta period for a minor update especially since iOS 17 is in beta too. I wonder what they are changing that requires so much testing.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ilde Avatar
24 months ago
Hi,

There is also a security update to iOS 16.5.1

Attachment Image
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unregistered 4U Avatar
24 months ago
At some point in the future, there will be those that were unaware that Public Betas would normally come out days or weeks after the developer beta. To those folks, this maddening 3 hour wait will be inexcusable and they’ll be calling for the head of Tim Apple. :)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)