Not a Beta guy or gal? There are new iOS and iPadOS updates for you too
You can admit it. Beta updates scare the hell out of you. They are unstable, they kill your battery life, and occasionally they turn your phone into a paperweight. So even though you've been dying to try iOS 18 and the Apple Intelligence Beta in iOS 18.1, you'd prefer to wait until September and October come around for the stable releases of these builds. "Better safe than sorry" is your motto.
The big news today was the release of iOS 18.1 Developer Beta and iPadOS 18.1 Developer Beta, both allowing users with an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max to join the waitlist for the Apple Intelligence Beta (which showed up on my iPhone not too long installing the Beta). Apple also released iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 today for those who think that Beta is a four-letter word (which it actually is).
Both iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 have a new feature called "Catch Up" which is made for sports fans and works with the Apple TV app. If you're joining a game in progress that is being streamed on the app, Catch Up will let you, well, catch up by watching highlights of the game so you can be as up-to-date as someone who started watching the game from the beginning of the contest.
Apple released iOS 17.6 and iPad 17.6 today. Image credit-iPhone in Canada
Catch Up can also be used with Apple TV+'s Major League Soccer season pass. The game highlights are found in the Key Plays carousel which surfaces when you pick a game to watch from the main menu of the TV app. Key Plays also can be viewed anytime after the game from the video player controls menu.
To install iOS 17.6 or iPadOS 17.6 on your compatible iPhone or iPad respectively, go to Settings > General > Software Update and follow the directions. And try not to run into your more adventurous iPhone-owning friends who love to show off the customized app icon feature available in the iOS 18 Beta. If you know someone with an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max who installed the iOS 18.1 Developer Beta and received the Apple Intelligence Beta, you really should stay clear of them. Otherwise, they might show you how AI can help change the tone of a text or email you've written.
If you can't bring yourself to install the iOS 18 Developer Beta or the iOS 18.1 Developer Beta, don't fret. September and October will be here soon.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: