Arriving just under a week after the developer beta builds, Apple has issued the first builds of iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 to participants in its public testing program.
The first public beta builds can be picked up from the Apple Beta Software Program website to those signed up to take part in the testing scheme. The public versions usually follow a short time after their developer beta counterparts, though for major releases, not typically after the initial developer builds are issued.
Apple provided the first developer beta builds of iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 alongside tvOS 13.4, watchOS 6.2, and macOS 10.15.4 on February 5. Public beta versions for tvOS, watchOS, and macOS have yet to be released in this cycle.
The content of the public build are largely expected to be the same as the recently released developer beta.
The first wave of betas for iOS and iPadOS included a number of new features, including a return of iCloud folder sharing, more Memoji stickers, and updates relating to the Mail toolbar, keyboard shortcuts in the Photos app, the TV app’s Family Sharing functionality, and CarPlay. Apple also included elements of the “CarKey API” in the build, which could allow an iPhone to be used to unlock a car and to turn over the engine.
AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly suggest users avoid installing betas on to “mission-critical” or primary devices, due to the potential for data loss or other issues. It is instead recommended to install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to ensure there are sufficient backups of important data beforehand.
Find any changes in the new betas? Reach out to us on Twitter at @AppleInsider or @Andrew_OSU, or send Andrew an email at [email protected].