For the last few years, Apple has made public beta versions of new software available to the general public. This typically follows the developer beta versions, which are made available almost as soon as new versions of Apple’s software is announced.
What is a beta version?
Software releases, broadly, can be thought of as going through four major stages in their development and release.
- Alpha: An early prototype that might include placeholders or approximations of how an application might look and work.
- Beta: A pre-release version of the software with most of the features in place although they may not be super reliable and are still subject to change.
- Gold Master: At this stage, the software in very close to being ready to ship. The major bugs have been ironed out (hopefully) and all features that will be in the formal release are finalised.
- Release: This is the software that is formally released to everyone.
For each stage of the process, there may be many sub-versions. As the software is developed, there will be milestone releases such as a first public beta version, followed by a second and subsequent versions as the software is refined and optimised.
Apple runs two beta software programs; one for developers and one for the public. In general, the developer beta is less refined than the public beta version. In practical terms, this might mean that the fourth developer beta of an application is buggier and slower that the fourth public beta.
How do you access beta versions of Apple software?
Apple runs two beta software programs; one for software developers and another for the general public.
The Apple Developer Program requires an annual payment of USD$99 and is designed for developers who are creating their own apps and want to distribute them through one of Apple’s App Stores.
The Apple Beta Software Program is pen to anyone with an Apple ID and provides access to public beta versions of
- iOS
- iPadOS
- macOS
- tvOS
- watchOS
- HomePod software
Once you enrol in the program, you simply choose the software you want to try out. You’ll be prompted to either download or install a small program to your device. this is called a “Profile” and it connects your device to the servers that distribute the beta versions rather than the usual servers for formally released software updates.
Is it risky to use beta versions?
Apple’s advice is to not use beta versions of software on devices you rely on and to ensure all critical data is backed up. The part about backups is important and applies to everyone, not just those playing with beta versions of software.
The most significant issue I have experienced is apps that are incompatible with the latest versions of a new Mac operating system. There have been some key software updates Apple released that totally broke the ability for some apps to run. This happened during the transition from PowerPC to Intel in 2006-2007, the shift towards 64-bit computing that started with OS X Tiger and effectively ended when OS X Mountain Lion was released four years later, and we can expect a similar line in the sand in the next year or two as Apple Silicon pushes Intel out.
But between those major transitions, Apple keeps refining and adding new features. in some cases, this results in older software breaking. For example, I have friends that are musicians and who have been forced to keep older Macs running in order to use the software that enables them to connect to musical instruments. And another person I know has to wait for iOS updates that support their hearing aids. For me, there was a time when a major macOS release made my scanner useless.
Beta software can be unreliable. As I’m writing this, I’m using the Messages app on my Mac and it has crashed while sitting idle. Some app unreliability is all part of the experience with beta versions of software.
Running beta versions of new software can be challenging. If you have backed up your data, can live with the odd application crashing and have checked that your main apps will still work, then you’ve probably managed the main risks.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.