Tag: beta

iOS 16 Public Beta Has Arrived, And Here’s How You Can Download It Right Now
Apple released the latest iOS 16 developer beta last month during WWDC 2022. However, since developer betas require an Apple Developer Program membership and the OS is not considered stable, not many download it. Beta software is also not recommended for daily use as it can be super buggy and problematic. Apple has just launched the public beta for iOS 16, which is free and should be a bit more stable, since it is designed for public testing. All one has to do is sign up to the Apple Beta Software program, enrol your device and install the config file to get iOS 16 on your device.

Here’s how you can update your iPhone to iOS 16.

Do note that you should take the necessary precautions before updating like backing up your device if you want to roll back to iOS 15.

Step 1: Sign up for Apple Beta Software Program

After backing up your device, here are the steps you should follow
- Go to the Apple Beta Software Program website on your iPhone.
- Tap on the Sign-Up button at the bottom of the page.
- You can use either Touch ID or Face ID to login into the Apple ID attached to your iPhone.
- Read and accept the Apple Beta Software Program Agreement.
On the next page, scroll to the bottom to Get Started enroll your iOS device, which should be hyperlinked. This will take you to another page, where Apple will give you everything you need to do to download and install iOS 16 public beta on your iPhone.

Step 2: Installing the iOS 16 public beta configuration profile

Once you scroll down the page, you’ll reach a section called Install Profile. You will need to install a configuration profile on your iPhone if you want to download and install the iOS 16 public beta to your device.

A configuration profile basically allows a third party to manage your device, Apple in this scenario. While one can have valid concerns about whether this is a privacy breach or not, this configuration profile simply allows Apple to deliver and manage the iOS 16 public beta on your iPhone.

To install the profile, click on the blue Download profile button and then tap Allow in the following pop-up prompt. After that, go to the Settings app and click Profile Download at the top of the page, after which it should you a window for the iOS 16 public beta configuration profile. Click install, enter your passcode and further follow onscreen instructions. Finally, restart your phone to get the OTA iOS 16 public beta update.

Step 3: Download and install iOS 16 public beta

After your iPhone boots up, go to Settings > General> Software Update, hit Download and Install and enter your passcode to begin the process of updating to iOS 16 public beta. If for some reason you do not see the Download and Install option, try waiting for a short while or clear some of your memory to make space.

You won’t be able to download and install iOS 16 on your device if you don’t have enough internal memory. Once everything is sorted, you should be seeing a loading bar that will show the estimated time of download. After the download is complete, reboot your device and wait for iOS 16 public beta to install. Once your iPhone is booted up, you should be seeing the new iOS 16 public beta running on your device.
July 13, 2022
Google To Add More Smartphones To The Android Q Beta List In 2019
Each year Google announces changes and upgrades in its Android Operating System (OS) at its developer’s conference called Google I/O. Last year, it surprised the audience by announcing that the Android 9 Pie Beta will be made available for smartphones other than the company’s own Pixel lineup. This step was taken in order to curb Android Fragmentation, which means an alarming difference in the various available Android versions in the market. Fresh reports claim that the company is planning on adding more smartphone OEMs to this list for the year 2019 with the upcoming Android Q Beta update.

Android Q Beta

Google is expected to announce the first Android Q Public Beta at the Google I/O event which will be held in the month of May this year. The update will bring about significant changes in the design and usability of the OS. Previous leaks suggested that with the next version, the company is planning on removing the back navigation button completely in favour of new gestures; which will be used to navigate around the UI. Last year, it added smartphones from different OEMs which were eligible to get the first Android P Public Beta. Those devices included:
- Sony Xperia XZ2
- Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
- Nokia 7 Plus
- Vivo X21
- Essential Phone PH-1
- OnePlus 6
- Oppo R15 Pro
A senior Google executive was noted saying the company will add a host of new smartphone OEMs to the list of devices supporting Android Q Public Beta. Unfortunately, as of now it is not known which devices will be added to the list but speculated names include smartphones from Motorola, Samsung, LG and Huawei. The brands from last year will be retained and their latest devices are also expected to be provided with the update.

Also read: Qualcomm Demands US$ 31 Million In Damages From Apple

The Android Q Public Beta update is being provided with the help of Google’s Treble project. It was released with Android 8 Oreo in the year 2017 and separated the chipset maker from the update process. This was aimed at streamlining the software updates, which differed drastically with each brand. This initiative of adding more smartphones to the beta update list by Google aims at fixing the issue of fragmentation in Android. It will be announced at the upcoming Google I/O, which will take place from May 7 to May 9 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in California, USA.
March 11, 2019
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 Starts Receiving Android Pie Beta Update

Asus launched the Zenfone Max Pro M1 back in the month of April last year. The smartphone quickly became one of the best selling models of the company owing to its affordable price and the features it offered. Asus has made an announcement on Twitter that it has started rolling out Android 9 Pie to the device, but there is a catch. The update is only available as a part of a beta program; users will need to register for the update on their device to get the latest software.

Android 9 Pie: What’s New?

The current generation of AndroidOS, Android 9 Pie was introduced in August last year and brings about significant changes from its predecessor, Android 8 Oreo. The most notable change is the introduction of navigation gestures, which can be enabled manually in the settings. These gestures offer a completely new way to navigate around the user interface. Also introduced is the new settings menu, which is completely overhauled since Android Oreo. The quick settings menu has also been updated, with the option of selecting a dark or a light mode active at all times.

With Android 9 Pie, there is better notch compatibility and the volume slider has been moved to the right side. The software also introduced an all-new Digital Wellbeing setting; which can be used to monitor the device usage and cut down on the repeated use of certain apps. The update also introduces new, smoother animations to the devices.

Also read: GoPro Launches HERO 7 Black Limited Edition In India

The user can register for the Android Pie Beta program by visiting the link here. Notably, Asus also started the beta program for the Zenfone Max Pro M2 earlier last month. The company had previously promised that both of these devices will be updated to a stable build of Android 9 Pie by the month of February which they have failed to deliver. Unfortunately, Asus has not revealed any information on when the stable build of the update will be released for the Zenfone Max Pro M1.

March 1, 2019
WhatsApp Beta Update To Enable WhatsApp Stickers

Facebook, the social network which bought the messaging service, WhatsApp back in February 2014, has been updating the platform. The new beta update for the app brings stickers to its users. Though the WhatsApp beta version has been around for a while, Facebook has never tested this feature for the app before. There are many other messaging platforms which have already embraced this concept. It will be the first time that WhatsApp will introduce stickers to its users.

The new WhatsApp beta update will bring a lot of interesting sticker packs. A Twitter post shows two sticker packs, Unchi & Rollie and Bibimbap Friends.

WhatsApp beta for Android 2.18.218:
1) Sticker preview!
2) When the WhatsApp Sticker Store has a new updated sticker pack, there will be a green dot on the “+” button.
3) Added the update button.

[STICKERS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN FUTURE – NO RELEASE DATE AVAILABLE!!!] pic.twitter.com/m86vLp28zB

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) July 16, 2018

Must Read: OnePlus 3 Gets Beta Android Oreo Update

Previously, WhatsApp gave its users the option to send GIFs and emojis. The addition of stickers will probably help the app gain more traction. There are several other rumours which claim that the beta update will also provide a sticker store. Whether the store will have region-specific stickers like those found on Hike messenger is unclear.

The WhatsApp beta update was announced at the F8 conference in May 2018. The beta version with the sticker will be available in the version 2.18.218. The current beta update provides group voice chat and video call features.

Stickers will have separate categories depending on the type of emotion they depict. Some of the categories are Lol, Wow, Love, and Sad. The developers haven’t confirmed the official release date for this update yet. We are certain, however, that the WhatsApp Beta Stickers update is just around the corner. So if you haven’t already, now will a good time to signup for the Beta release of the app.

WhatsApp is one of the most downloaded messenger apps of all time. It is natural for Facebook to keep the users engaged with new features.

July 17, 2018
Airtel Offering Free 30GB 4G Data To VoLTE Beta Testers

Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) was first introduced by Jio in India. A typical voice call uses a 2g/3g network. Whereas a VoLTE is based on 4G network, which offers more clarity and sound and takes less time to make a connection between the devices. And now, Airtel is testing VoLTE technology in India. To encourage users to participate in the beta test, the company is offering up to 30GB of free 4G data.

Airtel VolTE Beta Test

Airtel claims that VoLTE will offer HD voice calls, 3x faster call connectivity and multitasking. VoLTE will enable users to make a voice call without disconnecting active internet connection.

In most of the smartphones, a user has to place 4G enabled Airtel SIM card in the first slot to get onboard with this beta test. After turning on VoLTE option on the smartphone, a user will receive 10GB 4GB data. The additional 20GB will be credited after providing the feedback on 4th and 8th week consecutively. However, a beta tester might experience network irregularities and they have to share that data with Airtel.

Every Airtel subscriber cannot participate in the beta testing. To be an eligible beta tester, one has to have a smartphone with the latest software update and a 4G enabled Airtel SIM. Additionally, Go to Airtel India official website, enter your mobile number to check your eligibility. However, our number was ineligible to participate in the beta test.

Airtel VoLTE is already available in the following states including Karnataka, Maharastra and Andra Pradesh. Similarly, the company is now beta testing in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Kerala, Bihar, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh.

March 24, 2018
Android 8.1 Oreo Now Available For OnePlus 5/5T Via Open Beta

When it comes to incremental Android OS upgrades, most of the OEM’s tend to neglect them. However, OnePlus is known for updating its smartphones with the latest OS, at least its new smartphones. The OEM has a track record of pushing incremental updates, and the company continues to do the same.

OnePlus has released the Oxygen OS Open Beta 4 build for the OnePlus 5 and 5T based on Android 8.1 Oreo. Users can install the update by downloading the file from the OnePlus official website. The update weighs at about 1.6GB and the first time Beta testers have to manually download and flash the update. However, if you are already on a Beta build, then the device will receive an OTA update.

Release notes

The update adds new gesture-based auto call pickup by raising the smartphone. Similarly, the company has added more clock styles for the ambient display. The update also optimises full-screen gesture support (only for OnePlus 5T) with updating the device to latest February security patch.

The update introduces a new feature called “Gaming Mode”, which enables immersive gaming experience including power saving and pausing adaptive brightness. The OnePlus switch feature helps to migrate application data, allowing you to switch between devices seamlessly.

March 12, 2018
Honor 7X Android 8 Oreo Beta Update Now Seeding

Honor is testing the beta version of the Android 8 Oreo build on the Honor 7X. In fact, the update is already available in Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Once the beta testing completes, the update will be made available globally.

What’s new?

The Android 8 Oreo update comes with custom EMUI 8 skin. With the latest update, the UI has been refined with. Similarly, the smartphone also gets the AI capabilities in the camera department. According to reports, the final version of the update will be available by mid-2018.

Specifications of Honor 7x

The Honor 7X has a 5.9 inch LTPS IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px display which translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, the Honor 7X has the HiSilicon Kirin 659 chipset, Mali-T830 MP2 GPU, 4GB of RAM and 64GB onboard storage. The onboard storage is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card. The device is powered by a 3340 mAh battery which charges via a micro USB slot. Since the device has thin bezels, the fingerprint sensor is placed at the back of the below the dual-camera setup.

The Honor 7X runs Android 7.0 Nougat with EMUI 6.0 on top which gives a user more options for customising their phones.

The smartphone has a dual camera setup at the back. One of the cameras is equipped with a 16MP sensor while the other one is a 2MP depth sensor. The camera setup at the back has PDAF and records 1080P videos at 30fps. On the front is an 8MP camera which also records 1080P videos.

Conclusion

The Honor 7x is one of the best budget smartphones at the Rs 14,000 price mark. At this price tag, the smartphone has a great dual primary camera setup and an 8 MP front-facing camera. Similarly, the smartphone’s build quality is no bargainer as well. Finally, the Android 8 Oreo update makes this smartphone an all-rounder package.

March 2, 2018
Xiaomi Announces Android 8.0 Oreo Beta Program For Mi Mix 2

Xiaomi launched the Mi Mix 2 back in October in India at a price of Rs. 35999. The device currently runs Android 7 Nougat with MIUI 9 on top. Xiaomi has announced Android 8.0 Oreo beta program for the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2.

It’s a closed beta program, which means that a very limited number of Mi Mix 2 users will be able to participate and try the Oreo-based MIUI 9 build. There’s currently no information on exactly when the final release will begin rolling, although that’s probably still at least a few months away.

You can head to this link for more information on the Mi Mix 2 Oreo beta and how to register for it.

The Mi Mix 2 has a 5.99 inch 2160 x 1080 px LCD display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The Mi Mix 2 has a 12% reduced bottom bezel and a screen-to-body ratio of 80.8%. The device features a cantilever piezoelectric ceramic acoustic speaker and ultrasonic proximity sensor.

The Mi Mix 2 runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Xiaomi’s custom MIUI 9 on top. Under the hood, the flagship smartphone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, Adreno 540 GPU, 6GB RAM and storage options of 64GB, 128GB or 256GB. A special edition Mi Mix 2 with a full ceramic body, 6GB RAM and 128GB onboard storage has also been announced. The onboard storage will not be expandable due to the absence of a microSD card slot.

The device is powered by a 3400 mAh battery which is considerably smaller than the previous generation Mix’s 4400 mAh battery. The fingerprint sensor is placed at the back of the device just below the camera.

The Mi Mix 2 has a very unlike-2017 flagship single camera setup at the back. The smartphone sports a 12MP Sony IMX386 sensor with 1.25-micron pixels, an f/2.0 aperture 4-axis optical image stabilisation, 5-piece lens, and facial recognition. On the front is a 5MP which features facial recognition as well.

Xiaomi appears to be pushing Android 8.0 Oreo for its smartphones now. It recently announced the Android 8.0 Oreo program for the Xiaomi Mi A1 as well.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 Review:

December 18, 2017
Android N : Big Focus on Security : I/O 2016

Android N is the next big update to Android, and while Google already showed off Android N earlier this year. The official announcement focuses on important Security issues and productivity while ensuring better performance.

With the new Vulcan framework, Google will give developers direct access to the GPU and reduce CPU overload.

We have already seen the preview of Android N, and a lot of the features, including multi-window. And new notification customizations.

Those with eligible devices can enroll for the beta updates. Also, if you haven’t already you can submit your name options for the next version of Android.

#NameyMcNameface is the best name for Android N #io16

— iGyaan (@igyaan) May 18, 2016

This year, you can submit a name at https://t.co/BgZf9vwnLB #google #io16 #googleio

— iGyaan (@igyaan) May 18, 2016

May 19, 2016
E3 2015: The New Street Fighter 5 Trailer is Awesome!

The Street Fighter game series is well known to anyone who is remotely interested in gaming. At the ongoing E3 2015 in Los Angeles, Sony has announced that the well-known game will be coming to PlayStation 4. Capcom, the makers of the Street Fighter game series, confirmed during the PlayStation E3 press conference about the game’s public beta on the PlayStation 4 that will be debuting on July 23rd.

Following the leak of the game details back in December 2014, the highlight of the trailer is the addition of two new players: Birdie, the tall British punk rocker with a beak-shaped Mohawk hairstyle and Cammy, the blue-eyed, slender fighter who is now an amnesiac MI6 operative for the British government.

Birdie, who is the newest addition to the Street Fighter game, is one of the few characters that has multiple V-Skills, all of which spin around foods and drinks. Birdie can eat a banana and throw the peel on the floor, which the enemy player will slip on.

Ryu (L) VS Birdie (R)

For his V-Trigger, Birdie eats a hot pepper and enters a powered up state, making all his attacks-particularly his bull charge, even more deadly. In his Critical Art, he wraps up the opponent in chains and uses him or her as a skipping rope.

Cammy, meanwhile, retains many of her iconic moves, such as her Spiral Arrow, Canon Spike, and Canon Strike. Her Spin Knuckle is now her V-Skill.

Apart from this, the new trailer showed that the game will be played in its traditional 2D platform, with rotating camera view. No other details could be deciphered. You will have to pre-order the beta for PS4, and later on for PC as well.

Check out the trailer below:

June 16, 2015
Microsoft to Unveil Windows 9 in September

Windows enthusiasts are eagerly waiting for the next Windows offering after being disappointed by the Windows 8. Microsoft has currently named the upcoming operating system (OS), Windows Threshold, which is widely expected to change to Windows 9. The leaks about this new OS make us anticipate a better user experience in comparison to the previous generation OS.

The Verge reports that the company is planning to set a press event on the tentative date of 30th September. This event is supposedly an unveiling of beta version of Windows 9. This report is in line with the earlier ZDNet report which stated that the company was planning on unveiling a preview version in late September or early October.

The Windows 9 preview is expected to showcase the new updated Start Menu that will make a return after its departure in Windows 8. The release is also expected to do away with the charms bar and will bring in many interface changes. Windows was also planning to bring a Cortana like voice assistant into its desktop operating system, but it is unclear whether that will be presented at the event.

Windows 9 is expected to come with various UI updates.

It seems like Microsoft is taking a page out of Apple’s book. Apple had done a beta release of its upcoming Mac OSX Yosemite for the developers. It is also planning to bring Siri like personal assistant to the desktop systems. It will be interesting to see if Microsoft has learnt the lessons from its previous OS adventure and how it corrects them in this version. The company plans to bring in an update for the Windows Phone version too.

It seems like the time for a unified operating systems for phones and computers is nearing. These interlinking of phone and desktop OS will definitely make our interactions with computers faster as we won’t have through multiple operating systems. Microsoft, which has seen a lot of criticism for destroying Nokia, as well as the recent jobs cuts, can really use some positive news right about now.

August 22, 2014
BBM Beta testing for Android and iOS Begins (All slots full)

A few folks lucky enough at the BlackBerry’s Beta Zone have been given the ability to test out BBM Beta for Android devices. Once registered at the beta zone, all one needs is an Android Device running Android 4.0 and up.

The program is not available for everyone, but if you have received an email like the one shown above, you’ll find it available under Eligible Programs. Much like it will be when it goes official, the beta version of BBM for Android requires v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich); while the BBM beta for iPhone requires iOS 6 as a minimum requirement.

[Via]

August 2, 2013
Facebook Home Beta Leaks Ahead Of Official Release

Do you want to give Facebook Home a try a few days before its official release? A beta has been leaked by the folks at MoDaCo and, while not all the features work, it’s a great opportunity to see what all the fuss is/may be about. That said, MoDaCo says that it will work on any Android device that meets that specification.

The “suite” involves updated versions of the Facebook app, Facebook Messenger and the Home launcher APK itself, the former two of which can be safely installed over your current versions. It’s important to note that the leaked version only supports devices with a maximum resolution of 1280×768, which precludes the Sony Xperia ZL and upcoming HTC One (for now).

It appears that the most intriguing part of Facebook Home, Chat Heads, has not been implemented in this beta version, but the Cover Feed sequence works quite well. The Facebook Home settings is also worth digging into, as it allows you to alter how frequently the fore- and background data is updated. By default, background data (the stuff inside the Facebook app) is updated every 30 minutes, while the Cover Feed content is updated every 15 minutes. We’ll be curious to see whether those aggressive settings negatively affect battery life going forward.

The Home launcher is also surprisingly smooth, and feels like a very natural extension of my workflow. The main issue we have is that Facebook attempts to bury as much of Android’s legacy functionality as possible; you must swipe down from the top of the screen to expose the notification bar and then again to expand it; and there are no spots for native Android widgets. As someone who relies on both features pretty extensively — as I’m sure most users do — this is going to be something of an issue.

Nevertheless, Home is an interesting first step towards a fully-formed Facebook experience on Android, for better or worse.

Head to MoDaCo to download the three necessary APKs.

[MoDoCa, The Verge]

April 8, 2013
iOS 6 Beta 3 Seeded to Developers

Three weeks ago iOS 6 Beta 2 arrived, now apple is pushing out Beta 3 of the worldly OS to the developers and those with Developer accounts. This version of iOS6 inches closer with a lot of bug fixes and multiple tweaks that will now finally hit the end user.

SInce Apple has already closed down access for in-eligible downloads, its best to wait for the final build to arrive.

July 17, 2012
Apple Starts seeding iOS 6 Beta 2 to Devs

While everyone waits the arrival of the next big OS for your iDevice, Apple is working hard to get it ready. The company has pushed out Beta 2 to the developers for testing, there are no special additions the primarily focus is on the bug fixes leading the software closer to a final release. There are still other betas expected before the final release comes out, So, hold on to your horses.

Those who have active developer accounts can download the latest betas from their accounts now.

[9to5 Mac]

June 26, 2012