Apple iOS 16 public beta programme rolled out; you can get it too

At its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) last month, Apple first announced its future iOS 16 and iPad OS 16 versions.

Public beta for iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will be rolled out later today for those who have subscribed to the Beta programme. (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

At its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) last month, Apple first announced its future iOS 16 and iPad OS 16 versions. Since then, Apple has seeded a few pre-release files to developers. However, as of right now, you can participate in testing the forthcoming releases as well, as the public beta programmes for iOS 16 and iPad 16 are currently active.

According to GSM Arena, if your iPhone or iPad is suitable, you can now easily sign up for the beta programme, and later today, you'll get the first public beta build as an over-the-air software update.

Following that, you'll receive additional public beta builds as software updates until the final release arrives this fall. You'll be taken off the beta track once you install it.

Because this is the first public beta build, don't expect it to be faultless - far from it. It's likely to have a slew of bugs and faults, so it's not a good idea to use it as your primary phone or tablet.

iOS 16 includes a lock screen that can be customised with wallpapers, clocks, and widgets, and notifications now appear at the bottom of the screen. Multiple lock screens are also supported and can be coupled with Focus modes.

The Messages app has also been updated, with support for editing, deleting, and marking messages as unread, and SharePlay is no longer confined to FaceTime, so you can speak with the people you're sharing content with via Messages.

In terms of FaceTime, calls may now be sent from one device to another, and the Health app also tracks the medication you take if you want it to.

iOS 16 includes a lock screen that can be customised with wallpapers, clocks, and widgets, and notifications now appear at the bottom of the screen. Additionally, several lock screens are supported and can be coupled with Focus modes, as reported by GSM Arena.

There are many more interesting new features in this edition that you can experiment with, such as the iPad getting its own Weather app and a new multitasking system called Stage Manager.