Wait for iOS 16 Beta 4 Now the Longest Since iOS 6
iOS 16 beta testers have now waited longer for the fourth developer beta version than any new full iOS release since iOS 6 and iOS 7.
The minor landmark, highlighted on Reddit, was hit when Apple did not release the fourth beta version of iOS 16 yesterday. In 2012 and 2013, both iOS 6 and iOS 7's betas were in their third version for 21 days, the same as iOS 16's third developer beta as of today.
If the fourth beta version of iOS 16 is not released later today, iOS 16's third beta version will become the longest ever ".0" third beta of its kind. Regardless of exactly when the fourth beta version is seeded to developers and public beta testers, it is highly likely to occur sometime this week.
Most indications suggest that the development of iOS 16 has not been quite as smooth as recent years, with beta releases often not conforming to the patterns that have come to be expected of Apple based on previous years. Earlier this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman speculated that the beta versions could be running behind since internal seeds are currently a "bit buggy."
As rumored, iOS 16's public beta version was late this year. iOS 16's public beta became available on July 11, over two weeks later than the equivalent timeframe for iOS 15's first public beta last year.
Initial betas are often riddled with bugs that need to be fixed, which is why Apple goes through a months-long beta testing period before the updates are officially released to all device owners in September. Apple often recommends beta testers run the new software on a secondary device due to these issues.
Popular Stories
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect.
There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
Apple regularly refreshes the MacBook Pro models, and a new version that uses M5 series chips is in the works. Apple just finished refreshing most of the Mac lineup with M4 chips, and now it's time for the M5. Rumors suggest that we could see the first M5 MacBook Pro models this fall.
Design
There have been no rumors of a design update for the M5 MacBook Pro models that are coming this...
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out.
That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook.
Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect.
The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design.
It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information.
Relocated Charging Port
While the Magic Mouse switched from...
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things.
Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent.
A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone adds an Ambient Music feature to Control Center. Below, we take a closer look at how it works.
iOS 18.4 is currently in beta, so the Ambient Music feature is not widely available yet. The update will likely be released to the general public next week.
To use the feature on iOS 18.4, open Control Center and tap on the plus sign in the top-left...
Last week, we covered a report claiming that Apple's book-style foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold," as we are provisionally calling it here) will use liquid metal hinges to improve durability and help minimize screen creasing. Today, a Chinese leaker provided more details on the properties of this hinge material that help to clarify why Apple chose it for its first foldable device.
According...
