Apple today has released iOS 14 beta 6 and iPadOS 14 beta 6 to developers. This release comes one week after iOS 14 beta 5 was released to developers and public beta users, signaling a shift from the two-week release cycle to weekly releases. Read on for a roundup of what’s new.
iOS 14 beta 6 is available to developers via an over-the-air update in the Settings app. As usual, if the update does not immediately appear for download, keep checking as it sometimes takes a while to roll out to all registered developers. The update comes in at around 500MB for most iPhone users and it features the build number 18A5357e.
It’s notable that Apple is shifting from the every-other-week release schedule for iOS 14 beta 6. Apple generally does this as we approach the stable release of an operating system in the fall. The sixth public beta of iOS 14 will likely be released later this week.
iOS 14 beta 5 was released last week and it brought several notable changes to iPhone and iPad users. Perhaps most notably, Apple brought back the time picker wheel after initially abandoning it with the earlier betas of iOS 14. iOS 14 beta 5 also included a new Apple News widget, COVID-19 Exposure Notification API changes, and more.
You can watch our full hands-on video with iOS 14 beta 5 right here.
What’s new in iOS 14 beta 6?
- There’s a new splash screen when you open the Maps app for the first time:
- In Settings > Accessibility > AirPods, there is a new toggle related to iOS 14’s Spatial Audio feature. Once Spatial Audio is available, there will also be toggles in Control Center and via the Bluetooth menu in Settings. Despite the new toggle in iOS 14 beta 6, Spatial Audio does not yet appear to be active.
- Apple also highlights some bug fixes in iOS 14 beta 6:
- Encrypted APFS volumes now appear in the sidebar of the Files app
- Control Center: The Airplane Mode indicator now reflects the current Airplane Mode status in Settings.
- Control Center now indicates “Phone” is using the microphone for calls placed over the cellular network and over Wi-Fi networks.
- More tweaks to the time picker, the time is now outlined:
- The text of sender names in the Mail app is now blue:
Curious what Apple’s major software versions will do for your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Mac? Catch up on 9to5Mac‘s coverage below:
Other new betas today from Apple include watchOS 7 beta 6 as well as tvOS 14 beta 6. If you spot any changes in iOS 14 beta 6, or the other new betas from Apple today, let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @9to5Mac. Stay tuned for our full hands-on coverage with the new releases right here at 9to5Mac today and through the rest of the week.
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