Just a couple of weeks after Apple pushed out the first beta of iOS 10.1 to developers, the company has released the second beta of its mobile operating system. Registered developers can get the new beta, identified as build 14B67, over the air or via Software Update in Settings. The release will allow developers to test their apps against the newest version of iOS 10 that will be pushed out to public in the near future.
Here’s what’s new in the second beta
One of the biggest highlights of the iOS 10.1 is the Portrait mode, which came with the first beta. Developers who have installed the second beta of iOS 10.1 found the following changes:
1- Enjoy text effects even with Reduce Motion accessibility option
Now the iMessage effects in Messages app work even when the Reduce Motion setting is turned on. It enhances the experience for users that would send effects to their contacts who couldn’t see them. However, older iOS devices may suffer performance issues due to these animations. You can turn on Reduce Motion from Settings > General > Accessibility >Reduce Motion. Toggle on both Reduce Motion as well as Auto-play Message Effects.
2- A cleaner App Drawer for iMessage apps
The Messages App Drawer has been redesigned slightly. The dots at the bottom that represent each app installed are gone for good. There is a scroll bar at the bottom for navigating between multiple apps within the Messages app.
3- Replay text effects in Messages
The iOS 10.1 beta 2 has a new Replay button underneath the message bubble. It allows you to replay the effects in case you missed it the first time around or want to see the magic again.
4- Split-view
When using Split View mode on your iPad, you can no longer drag and drop stickers.
Portrait mode biggest feature of iOS 10.1
Apple demonstrated the Portrait mode at its iPhone 7 launch event last month. It was released to developers and public as part of the iOS 10.1 beta a couple of weeks ago. Portrait mode for iPhone 7 Plus doesn’t seem to have changed much in iOS 10.1 beta 2. The feature uses two built-in wide-angle and telephoto lens cameras to create shallow depth of field portrait images with blurred backgrounds.
The image signal processor in the iPhone 7 Plus creates a depth map to dissect different layers of a photo and choose what to blur. The feature works on objects, people, and pets, but requires good lighting to achieve the “bokeh” effect. Instructions at the bottom of the screen let you know whether there is sufficient light in your shot, and whether you are too far or too close to the object.
