iOS 12 Public Beta: Release Date, How to Sign Up, Report Bugs, and More
Say hello to iOS 12.
Hold on to your iPhones: the iOS 12 public beta might be here soon. The second version of the developer’s beta gave those willing to spend $99 an early look at what Apple has in store. But a more polished version of the upgrade is soon expected to be released to the wider public, possibly as early as this week (iOS 11 was released on June 26, 2017.)
On June 22, Apple announced it would be opening a public beta program for iOS 12, macOS Mojave, and tvOS 12.
iOS 12 will take the place of iOS 11, which was released as a public beta late in June of 2017, earlier than the two subsequent releases which both fell in early July. Still, Apple has made it a habit to release software and hardware in regular intervals, as the iPhones are released each September, so expect your phone to get a facelift very soon, at least within the next two weeks.
What to Expect From iOS 12 Beta
Betas provide a preliminary look at what will be bundled with software updates, but they are often times riddled with bugs and glitches. Developers have already surfaced a few issues with iOS 12, including FaceTime unexpectedly crashing, CarPlay connection issues, and illegible notifications.
These reported problems will likely be patched up by the time the public beta ships, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be bug-free. Developer’s betas are usually meant to identify glaring issues and solicit in-depth feedback from iOS developers. To that end, think of the public betas as more of a dress rehearsal for the official launch.
List of bugs found by developers in the iOS 12 Beta 2.
Some of the bigger glitches that get shipped? Last November, for example, Apple’s iOS 11.1 update had a major autocorrect bug that left users unable to type the letter “I” in text messages. If you do opt for an early download, make sure you have a back up of your previous operating system just in case something goes awry.
To make sure you’re all set for this upcoming public beta, register to Apple’s Beta Software Program. Once you’re all set up you can return to the website on the day the beta is announced to start testing it out alongside MaOS Mojave and tvOS 12.
Apple will provide a “Feedback” app where you can sign up to report any issues you might run into. So keep an eye out for those bugs to help squash them.
