- Apple rolled out iOS 13.5 developer beta 4 and iPadOS 13.5 developer beta 4 on Wednesday.
- iOS 13.5 has the exposure notification API from Apple and Google that health agency developers will use to build apps for contact tracing of people who test positive for the novel coronavirus.
- iOS 13.5 also features improvements to the Facetime app and Face ID.
- Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories.
One week after Apple dropped the confusingly-named iOS 13.5 beta 3 (despite the previous version of the operating system being iOS 13.4.5 beta 2), another beta has already taken its place. iOS 13.5 is the first version of the software to feature the API for Apple’s contact tracing technology, which the company developed in collaboration with Google. Authorized developers can use the API to build apps of their own to trace people who test positive for COVID-19, which will be a vital step in the process of beating the coronavirus and getting back to normal.
In addition to the API, iOS 13.5 also brought an improvement to Face ID that makes it easier to unlock your iPhone when you are wearing a mask. Once you download the update, your iPhone will automatically skip to the passcode screen rather than trying to scan your face through the mask. You can also disable larger tiles in Group FaceTime video calls, in case you don’t want anyone’s face to dominate the entire screen.
Apple’s iOS 13.5 beta 4 is now available, alongside the corresponding iPad software update for developers, iPadOS 13.5 beta 4. We can also expect new versions of Apple’s public iOS betas to follow shortly. Wondering whether or not your device is compatible with iOS 13.5 or iPadOS 13.5? We put together a list below that contains every compatible device. If your device is on there, it’s compatible with Apple’s latest beta software:
- iPhone SE 2nd generation
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone SE
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro 3rd generation
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st generation
- 10.5-inch iPad Pro
- 9.7-inch iPad Pro
- iPad Air 3rd generation
- iPad Air 2
- iPad 6th generation
- iPad 5th generation
- iPad mini 5th generation
- iPad mini 4
- iPod touch 7th generation
As you know by now, installing a new iOS or iPadOS beta on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch couldn’t be easier. Just navigate to Settings > General > Software Update and then tap “Download and Install” at the bottom of that page. If you want, you can also install the update through iTunes by connecting your iOS device to your computer. Whichever method you choose, just make sure to back up your device before installing the update.
