Apple has released the third public betas of the upcoming iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 updates, enabling non-developer users to test out the software before its official launch. The release comes just one day after the tech giant provided the third betas to developers. This round of public betas is available to those who have signed up for Apple’s free beta testing program.
Participants in the beta testing program can activate the beta by navigating to the Settings app, selecting General, then Software Update, followed by Beta Updates, and finally choosing the iOS 16 Public Beta option.
Despite being a relatively minor update, iOS 16.6 appears to lay the groundwork for the launch of the previously announced iMessage Contact Key Verification feature. This release comes as Apple begins to slow down development on iOS 16 in preparation for the launch of iOS 17, set for September.
In addition to iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6, Apple also released a new beta of watchOS 9.6 for public beta testers.