Skip to main content

Apple releases iOS 16.6 RC for beta testers

Apple has been preparing the iOS 16.6 software update for iPhone all summer, and now the upcoming release is almost ready for primetime. The release candidate for iOS 16.6 is now available as an over-the-air software update for iPhone users on the iOS 16 beta train.

iOS 16.6 has been in developer beta form since May. Today’s iOS 16.6 RC beta will likely be the release version that reachers all iPhone users later this month. Apple sometimes seeds multiple revisions to release candidate betas, however, so we’ll have to wait and see to be sure.

The summer time release isn’t expected to include any new user-facing features. Those are all packed into iOS 17 which is due out in September. Instead, the release will likely be one of the last updates to iOS 16 before shifting into strictly security-focused updates. 

iOS 15, for example, climbed to version 15.7.X as an option for users delaying the upgrade to iOS 16.

iOS 17 also drops support for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus. That means this iOS 16 development cycle will mark the final updates for those phones as well. However, Apple continues to release security updates to hardware running older versions of iOS for several years.

Other developer betas that are hitting their release candidate version today include iPadOS 16.6, tvOS 16.6, macOS 13.5, and watchOS 9.6.

Both developer and public beta versions of these release candidate updates are available today.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications