Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming iOS 12.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the third beta and a month after releasing iOS 12, a major new version of the iOS software. Registered developers can download the new iOS 12.1 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center. iOS 12.1 includes several new features that Apple promised would come to the iPhone XS and XS Max. The beta introduces support for the eSIM, which is a digital SIM that lets you activate a cellular plan from a carrier without the need to use a physical SIM card. Carriers will need to implement support for eSIM, which is likely to happen after iOS 12.1 launches. In the U.S., AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile will support eSIM. The iOS 12.1 update brings a new real-time Depth Control feature, which lets you adjust the depth of field of your Portrait Mode photos before you capture them. Right now, in iOS 12, Depth Control is only available for post-capture editing. If you tap on the "F" icon at the top of the screen while capturing a photo you use Depth Control to adjust the amount of background blur in an image. In addition to these iPhone XS and XS Max features, iOS 12.1 reintroduces the Group FaceTime feature that was removed from iOS 12 during the beta testing period. Group FaceTime was present in many early betas but was ultimately removed because Apple needed more time to test it. Group FaceTime is designed to let iPhone and Mac users conduct video and audio chats with up to 32 participants at one time, with new camera effects features included. The update also adds more than 70 new emoji to iPhones and iPads, with options that include red hair, gray hair, curly hair, cold face, party face, face with hearts, mango, kangaroo, peacock, lobster, cupcake, and tons more. As for bug fixes, iOS 12.1 addresses a charging problem that could cause iPhone and iPad models running iOS 12 to fail to charge when connected to a Lightning cable while the screen is off and it fixes a bug that caused iPhone XS and XS Max models to prefer 2.4GHz WiFi networks to 5GHz networks, resulting in perceived slower WiFi speeds. Both of these bugs have also been addressed in the iOS 12.0.1 update, released last week. If any additional new features are found in the fourth iOS 12.1 beta, we'll update this post with details. Update: Apple has also seeded a new public beta of iOS 12.1 to its public beta testing group. Update 2: As noted by Emojipedia, Apple tweaked the design of the bagel emoji in iOS 12.1 beta 4 to add cream cheese and more texture to the bread.<doc-sep>Apple has settled into a steady pace of seeding to developers betas of its operating systems. Near the beginning of each week, expect updated pre-release versions of iOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1, and tvOS 12.1. Today is the fourth round. These include some hotly-anticipated features, but leave Apple Watch Series 4 users up on the air. New features across a range of devices Two of these are being developed together because they include many of the same features. The next versions of iOS and watchOS will be the debut of Group FaceTime. The ability to make FaceTime calls to multiple people simultaneously was supposed to launch last month, but Apple needed extra time to debug the code. In addition, they’ll have 70 new emojis. macOS 10.14.1 will also get these features, but it didn’t get a fresh beta today. Some device specific changes in watchOS 5.1 and iOS 12.1 beta 4 Beyond that, there are some extras in iOS 12.1 beta 4 just for iPhone users. They include dual SIM support for the iPhone XS series, and real-time depth adjustment in the camera app. With the release of watchOS 5.1 beta 4 so recent, it’s not yet known if this version includes the ECG application Apple promised for its latest wearable. The hardware to take an electrocardiogram is built into Apple Watch Series 4, but the software has yet to be introduced. Not for the public, yet Currently, the forth beta versions of watchOS 5.1, iOS 12.1, and tvOS 12.1 are only available to those who have enrolled in the Apple Developer Program and paid their $99 annual fee. A public version of most of these will almost certainly be made available soon. The exception is watchOS, which isn’t included in Apple public beta program.<doc-sep>A new batch of operating system betas have been issued by Apple, with participants in the company's developer beta testing program now able to shake down the fourth beta builds of iOS 12.1, tvOS 12.1, and watchOS 5.1. Developers signed up to the test program can acquire the latest builds by downloading them from the Apple Developer Center, or via an over-the-air update to their already-enrolled devices. The public beta counterpart typically arrives within a few days of the developer version, and is usually available to download from the Apple Beta Software Program website. The fourth iOS 12.1 developer beta is build number 16B5084a, replacing the third beta's build, number 16B5077c. For the most part, iOS 12.1 appears to be a minor update rather than adding major features, but there have been a few additions to the beta that are not currently in iOS 12. A returning feature is support for Group FaceTime, which was pulled from iOS 12 before its release, but reintroduced for test purposes. Group FaceTime allows for up to 32 people to be involved in the same video conference, complete with Memoji superimposed on faces on compatible devices. Apple is also adding 70 new emoji to iOS 12.1, which it is including in the betas. Minor changes have also been found in the code, such as the addition of horizontal Face ID support which is likely to be useful for rumored upcoming iPad Pro models. The last major addition to the iOS beta is a fix for sporadic iPhone and iPad recharging issues. It is unclear if the fix will be distributed earlier than the iOS 12.1 release itself, but if not, affected users won't have too long to wait for a solution. The tvOS 12.1 fourth developer beta is build 16J5600a, replacing the third build's 16J5593c. Even fewer details are known about the contents of the tvOS 12.1 beta, and again seems to be a fix-and-improve update rather than one that includes new features. Lastly, watchOS 5.1's fourth beta 16R5584a takes over from the third developer beta, build number 16R5577c. It is a similar story for watchOS 5.1's betas as it is for the other operating systems. The main change is the reintroduction of Group FaceTime calls, as well as being able to handle the call via audio until the user is able to continue in video from an iOS device. Both AppleInsider and Apple strongly advise users test the betas on secondary devices rather than mission-critical hardware, due to the potential for data loss and other issues. Non-essential devices should be used for any beta testing, with backups of important data strongly advised before installing or performing updates.<doc-sep>
Apple introduced the fourth beta of iOS 12.1 to the general public today. The wait for the full version of this upgrade is almost certainly nearly over. It will bring some new features and emojis, and is likely required for the new iPhone coming later this month. The iPhone XR goes up for pre-sale on Friday, and will launch Oct. 26. There’s a good chance this model will debut running iOS 12.1, so this new operating system version needs to be out by then. But you don’t have to wait. Anyone who’s brave enough to run pre-release software can sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program and download iOS 12.1 beta 4 right now. It’s free and relatively easy. But be aware, it is a beta. The three previous iOS 12.1 beta versions have been quite stable, but caution is important with pre-release software. Changes in iOS 12.1 Those wiling to take the (slight) risk will get an early look at Group FaceTime, which enables users to chat with multiple people simultaneously. Just be aware, anyone in one of these group chats either needs to be running a beta of iOS 12.1 or macOS 10.14.1. And there’s more in the next version of Apple’s operating system for iPhone and iPad, including the controversial new bagel emoji and dozens more, dual SIM support for the iPhone XS series, and real-time depth adjustment in the camera app. Apple is also working on new versions of macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. It’s possible these will be released at the same time as iOS 12.1.