Apple has been carrying out beta testing for its iOS 16.5 and other software updates since March. It appears that the wait is finally over, as these updates are about to be released to the general public. In preparation for the official release next week, Apple has commenced the distribution of the release candidate versions of the upcoming iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 updates to public beta testers and developers for testing purposes.
Additionally, Apple has also released tvOS 16.5 RC, watchOS 9.5 RC, and macOS 13.4 RC to developers and public beta users.
A Release Candidate (RC) build is typically made available to developers a few days before its official release to the public. This allows for thorough testing of the software to ensure that there are no major bugs or issues that could cause problems for users. The RC build is often the last step in the software development process before the final release.
To access the betas for iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5, developers can navigate to the Settings app, select the Software Update option, and toggle on the “Beta Updates” option. However, it’s important to note that a developer account is required to download and install the beta versions, which necessitates an Apple ID associated with a developer account.
The latest iOS 16.5 release candidate, with the build number 20F65, doesn’t include any major changes as the focus now shifts towards the much-anticipated iOS 17, set to be unveiled at next month’s WWDC. However, the update does offer some useful features, including new Siri commands for screen recording and a dedicated Sports tab on the Apple News app, fulfilling the requests of many sports enthusiasts.
iOS 16.5 RC full release notes:
- A new Pride Celebration wallpaper for the Lock Screen to honor the LGBTQ+ community and culture
- Sports tab in Apple News gives easy access to stories, scores, standings, and more, for the teams and leagues you follow
- My Sports score and schedule cards in Apple News take you directly to game pages where you can find additional details about specific games
- Fixes an issue where Spotlight may become unresponsive
- Addresses an issue where Podcasts in CarPlay may not load content
- Fixes an issue where Screen Time settings may reset or not sync across all devices