Apple today has released the third iOS 9.3 beta to registered developers for testing. The first iOS 9.3 beta introduced at the start of the year introduced new 3D Touch shortcuts on new iPhones, Touch ID-secured Notes, a new Night Shift mode for blue light reduction, and much more. iOS 9.3 beta 2 added a Night Shift toggle in Control Center and other tweaks. We’ll check out the latest beta version of the upcoming release and highlight any changes below.
Night Shift works a lot like the popular Flux utility on the Mac, which changes the display color temperature between sunset and sunrise to make screen reading easier on the eyes and encourage falling asleep easier. This feature requires 64-bit devices.
iOS 9.3’s Notes app adds the ability to secure individual notes with one secure password plus Touch ID on compatible iPhones and iPads. Secure notes are only visible on iOS 9.3 and OS X 10.11.4 or later with no compatibility on iCloud on the web yet.
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users can access additional 3D Touch shortcuts starting with the iOS 9.3 beta as well. Useful new shortcuts include quick access to battery, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and wallpaper options in the Settings app from the Home screen.
For CarPlay users, iOS 9.3 adds the full Apple Music experience with For You and New sections as well as Nearby in Maps. iOS 9.3 also includes a major new education initiative with multi-user support and much more.
For more on iOS 9.3 beta, check out our hands-on video:
Let us know in the comments, via email at tips at 9to5mac dot com, or on Twitter @9to5Mac if you spot any changes in the new beta, and we’ll update with changes we find as well.
Here’s what’s new:
- Find the update in Settings
- Slightly tweaked Night Shift explainer in Control Center, fixed icons in landscape
- Wi-Fi Calling coming to Verizon iPhones after October FCC permission request, T-Mobile and AT&T already offer this feature.
- Apple News appears in Settings in Sweden (likely other countries), suggesting availability in new countries coming
- Greatly improved method for locking and unlocking items in Notes
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Wi-Fi calling on Verizon is available in this beta.
For real?!
The availability of the feature was not put into the post until after I mentioned it.
This is gonna kill me to have to wait till March for a wide release.
Finally, there’s an option for Apple Music which lets you choose whether songs added to a playlist should also be added to “My Music”. I’ve been waiting so long for this!
Since Beta 1, it also shows the popularity of songs when viewing an album, similar to the iTunes Store.
On Beta 2, I noticed that the behavior of the Now Playing screen has changed. Now, tapping the song title will take you to the corresponding album, and you have to tap the cover to bring up the star rating.
Yea, that’s so not discoverable. It looks like just a non interactive label. Up until then I kept tapping the “list” icon expecting to see the album song list but that goes to the up next list. Hopefully they put some visual indicator next to it for release.
Once I found that out I started not minding apple music. It’s mostly want I wanted since I’ll hear a song I like and want to see the full album of that song.
In Beta 3 did we lose the star ratings? I tapped on the song title and got the album it came from but now tapping on the album cover does nothing. Unless I’m missing something.
Is the Pencil still unable to be used for navigation?
I’m wondering the same thing. Will reply if I find out.
In what other countries Apple News was discovered in the settings? I’m hopeing for Germany
In Germany, a toggle in the iCloud settings appeared, as well as an “Add to News” option in the Safari share sheet. They were definitely not there in Beta 2.
Great! Thank you for the fast response:-)
And Denmark
I have been waiting for Verizon WiFi calling 👍👍👍
I would have enjoyed this when I was on a minute-limited calling plan. Now that my plan is unlimited minutes, the only advantage I see is for weak coverage areas, and coverage is pretty universal here in the Philly burbs. I guess it’s nice to have the option though, for if I’m ever in the boonies with wifi-only.
Anyone with Bluetooth issues does this fix it?
when do we get beta 3 because i just got beta 2