Apple is supposed to release a public beta of iOS 17 in July, but a few recent changes have made the developer beta more accessible this year. iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma beta launched yesterday and for the first time, those with free developer accounts can access these preview programs. like Camel Explainand Connor Joyce and other users I noticed That the iOS 17 developer beta was available to install in the beta updates section of Settings whether you paid or not. macOS Sonoma and watchOS 10 previews are available this way, too.

For some context – previously, to access the various OS betas right after the WWDC keynote, you had to have a paid developer account, which cost about $100 per year. while Free class It was always available, and the developer beta was not included in this option.

This technically means that since you won’t have to pay for a developer account to access these betas, you can likely sign up for the Apple Developer Program to check them out. But you probably won’t want to install them. These are the first pre-release builds available to people outside of Apple, and they are likely to include bugs and application compatibility issues. This may cause problems if you install it on essential hardware. Unless you’re a developer who wants to start preparing app updates, you’re probably better off waiting until the public beta or final version rolls out this fall.

iOS 17 is a frequent upgrade, but it adds more than a few features you might appreciate, like live voicemail transcripts, easier sharing, smarter autocorrect, and a journaling app. MacOS Sonoma adds perks like desktop widgets, Safari privacy updates, and Game Mode, while watchOS 10 is a significant revamp that focuses on quick-look widgets. For the most part, there’s no rush to try it out right away.

Update (9:50 p.m. ET): This article has been edited to correct some errors about how and why developer beta access is now available for free. We also added context to explain the difference this year. We apologize for the error.

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