IOS 12 Beta 7 Released for Developers: Unveiling the Major Updates and Features

Apple Watch Updates: Oxygen Monitoring, Power Saving, and New Message Filters Arrive in Latest Beta

Published: August 20, 2024 at 8:00 AM PST

Refined Blood Oxygen Tracking

Apple continues to refine the functionality linked to monitoring of oxygen levels in the blood with the latest beta release. This update is initially focused on users in the United States, with existing systems remaining in place for other regions, including Italy. While some users may not promptly notice a change, the revised system on Apple Watch Series 8, 10, and Watch Ultra 2 models aims to improve accuracy and reliability.

adaptive Power for Notifications Improves Battery Life

A new toggle for Adaptive Power function, designed to limit battery consumption caused by a high volume of notifications, has been introduced. Users can now easily activate or disable this mode based on their individual needs and usage patterns, offering greater control over device power management.

Apple optimizes performance through small adjustments, such as reducing screen brightness.

Message Sketch Filter Introduced

A new “sketch” filter has been added to the Messages app, providing a dedicated space to save unsent message drafts. This allows users to easily access and revisit text they’ve composed but haven’t yet sent,preventing accidental loss of ideas or vital thoughts.

Fourth Public Beta: iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 Tahoe

Alongside the seventh beta, Apple released the fourth public beta of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 Tahoe on Wednesday. This latest build incorporates preliminary features of Apple Intelligence, including Visual Intelligence for screenshots. Updates also extend to order tracking within the Wallet app, improvements to phone calls, messages, and FaceTime. Further details can be found here.

Understanding Beta Software

Beta software, such as iOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe, is pre-release software and may contain bugs or performance issues.It’s designed for developers and excited users who want to test new features and provide feedback to Apple. While generally stable, it’s recommended to back up your devices before installing beta software.

did You Know? Apple’s beta programs have played a crucial role in refining the user experience of its operating systems for decades, with user feedback directly influencing the final product.

Feature	Description	Availability
Blood Oxygen Monitoring	Refined algorithms for more accurate readings.	Initially US only
Adaptive Power	Reduces battery drain from excessive notifications.	All users
Message Sketch Filter	Saves unsent message drafts for easy access.	All users
Apple Intelligence Features	early access to new AI-powered features.	Beta testers only

Frequently Asked Questions

What are your thoughts on the new adaptive Power feature? Will you be installing the public beta to test these updates?

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What specific changes in the Photos app within iOS 12 Beta 7 would be most relevant for developers to test in their own photo-related applications?

Core App Enhancements in iOS 12 Beta 7

Apple’s release of iOS 12 Beta 7 for registered developers brings a wave of refinements and bug fixes, focusing heavily on stability and performance improvements. This build, crucial for app compatibility testing, introduces several notable changes across core applications. Developers are encouraged to update immediately to ensure their apps function seamlessly with the final iOS 12 release. Key areas of improvement include:

Photos App: Refinements to search functionality and improved facial recognition accuracy. Users are reporting faster indexing of photo libraries.

Mail App: Enhanced security protocols for email encryption and improved handling of large attachments.

Safari: Performance boosts in webpage rendering and JavaScript execution. Addressing reported memory leaks impacting browser stability.

Messages: Minor UI tweaks and bug fixes related to iMessage syncing and sticker packs.

Performance and Stability Improvements

A significant focus of Beta 7 is bolstering the overall performance and stability of iOS 12. Apple has addressed several reported crashes and glitches, notably within the system frameworks.

GPU Performance: Developers are noting subtle improvements in GPU performance, possibly benefiting graphically intensive applications and games.

System Responsiveness: General system responsiveness appears to be improved, with faster app launch times and smoother transitions.

Battery Life: While not a primary focus of this beta, anecdotal evidence suggests minor improvements in battery efficiency. Further testing is required to confirm these findings.

Addressing Known Bugs: Beta 7 tackles a number of bugs identified in previous beta releases, including issues with Bluetooth connectivity and audio playback.

Developer-Focused Changes & APIs

This beta release includes several updates specifically geared towards developers, providing access to new apis and tools.

Core ML Updates: Enhancements to the Core ML framework, allowing for more efficient on-device machine learning. This includes optimizations for model size and inference speed.

ARKit 2.0 Refinements: further refinements to arkit 2.0, Apple’s augmented reality platform.Developers can now leverage improved scene understanding and object tracking capabilities.

SiriKit Enhancements: Expanded SiriKit functionality, enabling developers to integrate their apps more deeply with Siri.

New Frameworks & APIs: Introduction of minor new frameworks and API updates, detailed in Apple’s official release notes for developers.These are primarily focused on improving system-level functionality.

Security Updates in iOS 12 Beta 7

Security remains a paramount concern for Apple, and Beta 7 includes several important security updates. While the specifics are frequently enough not publicly detailed to prevent exploitation, Apple has confirmed addressing vulnerabilities related to:

Webkit: Patches for potential security flaws within the Webkit engine, which powers Safari.

Kernel Security: Improvements to kernel-level security, protecting against low-level system exploits.

Bluetooth Security: Addressing potential vulnerabilities in Bluetooth communication protocols.

data Protection: Enhanced data protection mechanisms to safeguard user privacy.

Testing and Compatibility Considerations

For developers, thorough testing is crucial after updating to iOS 12 Beta 7. Here’s a checklist:

1. Regression Testing: run comprehensive regression tests to identify any new issues introduced by the update.
2. UI Testing: Verify that your app’s user interface renders correctly and functions as was to be expected across different iPhone and iPad models.
3. Performance Profiling: Use Xcode’s profiling tools to identify any performance bottlenecks.
4. API Compatibility: Ensure your app is compatible with the latest APIs and frameworks.
5. Crash Reporting: Monitor crash reports closely to identify and address any new crashes.

Known Issues & Workarounds (as of Beta 7)

Apple maintains a public list of known issues associated with each beta release. As of beta 7, some reported issues include:

Occasional UI Glitches: Some users are reporting minor UI glitches in certain apps.

Bluetooth Pairing Issues: Intermittent issues with Bluetooth device pairing.

Syncing Problems: Occasional syncing problems with iCloud services.

Battery Drain (Specific Scenarios): Reports of increased battery drain in specific usage scenarios.

Developers should consult Apple’s official documentation for the most up