Apple released the second beta version of its next-gen iOS 9 to developers on Tuesday, says a report from Apple Insider. This follows the initial build, which was given to developers at WWDC.
To address known issues
Apple’s iOS 9, apart from an updated user interface, will have “proactive” Siri and Search functions, first-party app modifications like Transit for Maps, “slide over” multitasking for the iPad, fixes for the known issues, and improved performance.
The list of known issues covers both software and hardware concerns. For instance, Lightning video dongles are not supporting on devices running on the prerelease software. Also at times, the iPhone wrongly shows that Activation Lock is enabled for a connected Apple Watch, when in reality it’s not. Another issue is related to the Apple ID. Developers who change the e-mail address linked with their ID occasionally are not able to validate on the iOS 9 systems. However, to fix the issue, Apple has asked developers to revert to their previous email address.
Also some issues are related to HomeKit and HealthKit. According to Apple, in a few cases, there is a possibility that a user’s health database may get deleted while updating. So the company suggests that users have an encrypted backup before starting the installation process.
Upgrade to Apple watchOS, also in works
Apple’s new OS version does resolve some of the earlier issues, for instance, connectivity issues for AirPlay have been resolved, and CarPlay now runs efficiently on the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and iPad Air 2. The new version improves the navigation communication between the Apple Watch and the iPhone. Springboard, which previously crashed while contacting a contact with multiple email addresses, now will not crash. Apple is expected to unveil its next-gen OS by this fall, maybe along with the next iPhone.
Also on Tuesday, Apple issued the second version of Watch OS 2 beta to developers. The Watch OS 2, which is the first major update to the operating system, needs iOS 9. The OS can be downloaded with the help of an Apple Watch app. The new OS brings many new features for developers to take advantage of, for instance, specific apps that run on the Apple Watch but not on the iPhone. The new version also gives developers access to the Taptic Engine and many other sensors in the smartwatch, such as the heart rate monitor, the microphone and the accelerometer.
