iOS 7 Beta 3 Arrives for Developers
The release notes for iOS 7 beta 3 don't mention any significant changes or feature additions — mostly bug fixes and performance enhancements. Still, early reports indicate some UI tweaks, especially when it comes to fonts and icons within apps.
Calendar - In the monthly view, the Calendar app has been updated to display small gray dots on days where events are scheduled.
Apple today released its third beta version of iOS 7, only two weeks after pushing out the second iteration of its newest operating system to developers.
The latest update includes fixes for pre-release bugs in Messages, iCloud, and AirPlay.
Specifically, problems with the new iCloud Keychain feature have been patched, as well as issues with the Find My iPhone and Bookmarks toggles, according to Apple Insider, which cited sources familiar with the release notes.
The Messages application, meanwhile, no longer presents an empty message list; Apple also addressed a flaw that caused the app to crash when the user viewed attachments on two separate threads.
A reportedly common issue that caused some apps to receive duplicate push notifications, or none at all, has been updated, and the app switcher now shows all suspended applications, Apple Insider said.
Apple iOS 7: The Most Exciting Features VIEW ALL PHOTOS IN GALLERY Developers with an authorized Apple account can download the software update, and get back to building iOS 7-compatible applications before the OS's expected fall launch.
Apple unleashed iOS 7 to the developer community at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) on June 10. At the time, the updated OS was only available for the iPhone and iPod touch, however, so last month's beta update included a version for the iPad. Beta 2 also included the return of Voice Memo, the option to select a male voice for Siri, an overhauled Reminders app, and a variety of other small tweaks.
In beta 3, Cupertino also squashed a bug that would not save per-app settings in the Background App Refresh option. Additionally, custom Passcode Lock and Auto-Lock settings have been fixed, along with authorization alerts for Newsstand background downloads.
There is still more work for Apple before the general public can get their hands on the new operating system; developers told Apple Insider that a range of applications, including Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Safari, Passbook, and others, still have problems.
The iOS 7 update, scheduled to release this fall for iPhone 4 and up, iPad 2 and later, iPad mini, and the fifth-generation iPod touch, is "the biggest change to iOS since the iPhone," CEO Tim Cook said at WWDC.
For more, check out PCMag's roundup of iOS 7's Most Exciting Features above. Also see iOS 7: What We Wanted vs. What We Got and 15 iOS 7 Features Cribbed From Other Platforms.
Just two weeks after iOS 7 beta 2 arrived with iPad support, Apple has released iOS 7 beta 3 to registered developers.
Apple unveiled iOS 7 at WWDC 2013 on June 10 and offered its first beta to developers the same day. For now, the release cycle appears to be every two weeks for a new beta — which is faster and more consistent than iOS betas in the past.
SEE ALSO: 10 Free iPhone Apps You’ll Use Every Day
I'm going to spend some time with iOS 7 on various test devices and will report on new tweaks or pertinent changes. For now, it's important to remember that Apple is still just getting started with iOS 7. What appears in the beta versions today may not necessarily represent the final look and feel of the shipping version, expected sometime this fall.
For now, I'm excited to see Apple releasing beta updates so quickly and on such a consistent cycle. I hope this continues because iOS 7 brings lots of changes for app developers and a more consistent update cycle means a better testing strategy.
Developers, let us know what you think of the new beta in the comments.
iOS 7 Beta 3 Tidbits: New App Download Animation, Thicker Fonts, Safari Improvements
Apple today released the third beta of iOS 7, which brings a number of improvements and bug fixes to the operating system. According to the release notes, double notifications have been resolved and AirPlay issues have also been fixed.
Several other minor enhancements have been bundled into the release, as noted by our forum members:
Redesigned Fonts - Fonts across a number of apps appear to have been tweaked to be thicker, using Helvetica Neue Regular instead of Ultra Light. This is most noticeable in the Messages app, where text appears to be bolded, but it can also be seen in the Weather app, the Notification Center, and the Settings menu. Panic co-founder @cabel has provided a GIF that demonstrates the differences.
Safari - Safari has had the .com button removed and replaced with a simple period button. The .com, .net, and .org domain extensions can be accessed by holding down on the button.
Status Bar - The Status Bar, which provides information on cellular connection strength, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and battery life has had its size slightly increased for better readability on the lock screen.
Lock Screen - When playing music, the lock screen will now display the time.
Music App - The Music app has seen a slight redesign with new icons and rearranged controls. Ratings have also been re-added.
Podcasts - Apple's Podcasts app is now functional.
Siri - A number of MacRumors forum members have noted that Siri’s voice now sounds more natural.
New App Download Animation - When installing an app, iOS 7 users will see a new animation that does away with download bars in favor of a more organic circular download timer.
Control Center - The clock located in the Control Center has seen yet another redesign, this time appearing in the original dark format that was removed during beta 2 in favor of a thinly outlined version.
