iOS 14 was first launched in September, ahead of the release of the iPhone 12. New versions of Apple’s mobile operating system typically arrive once a month with new features and bug fixes. However, iOS 14.5 was a larger update than usual, and took about three months to arrive.
The latest version of Apple’s operating system, iOS 14.6, is now available as a public beta. That means you can download it, but it may contain some bugs, as Apple is still working on it before its final release.
Apple doesn’t publicly announce when it will release a new version of iOS, but there are some clues. Since the public beta became available on April 23, and releases come out roughly once a month, we expect to see the final version of iOS 14.6 sometime in May, especially since this is likely to be a smaller update. Plus, we’re expecting Apple to unveil iOS 15 at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
How can you download Ios 14.6 Public Beta?
If you do want to download the iOS 14.6 public beta and try out some of the new features (again, we’d recommend doing so on a device you don’t typically use, since there could be bugs), you first have to sign up for Apple’s Beta Software Program. To do that, go to beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram, and click Sign Up. You’ll have to enter your Apple ID and password, and agree to the terms and conditions. Tap iOS, and under Get Started, click Enroll your Apple device. From there you’ll find more instructions on how to do so.
Once you’re part of the program, you can go to Settings > Software Update, and when you see iOS 14.6 Public Beta, hit Download and Install.
How can you download iOS 14.6 once it’s generally available?
When it’s released, you should get a prompt telling you that iOS 14.6 is now available and asking if you’d like to download it. Or you can do the following:
- Open the Settings app.
- Select General
- Tap Software Update
Your device will connect to Apple’s servers and prompt you to download and install the update. Follow the prompts to complete the installation. When your device reboots, it will be running iOS 14.6.
What devices will iOS 14.6 work on?
iOS 14.6 will be compatible with all the same devices as iOS 14. Generally, these include the iPhone 6S ($269 at eBay) all the way up through the iPhone 12, along with the iPhone SE ($99 at Back Market) and the seventh-gen iPod Touch ($140 at Back Market).
New features
We’re slowly finding out more about what new features iOS 14.6 will bring. Again, since iOS 14.5 was a larger update with a lot of new features, it’s likely that this one will be smaller, and more focused on under-the-hood changes. The beta download page says that it “contains bug fixes and improvements.”
- Better beta tools
The beta versions of iOS 14.6 include a tool that lets app developers and public beta testers upgrade to an iOS release candidate without removing their developer or beta profile. Before iOS 14.5 went live to the public, developers could choose between upgrading their device to the iOS 14.5 release candidate or to the beta version of iOS 14.6. Under the Software Update menu in Settings, there’s a new Also Available section where you can find this option.
- Hi-fi support for Apple Music
On May 17, Apple said that in June, it would add support for high-quality, lossless and spatial audio to Apple Music through Dolby Atmos at no additional cost. However, Apple did not specify if this release would be part of iOS 14.6, or arrive sooner or later.
High-fidelity streaming could help Apple Music compete with Spotify.
