Apple Cracks Down on Websites Sharing iOS 16 Developer Beta

[ponzicoinbro]

I have one simple question. How does Betaprofiles.com make money?

Probably ads?

Torrent sites run by cyber criminals have made millions of dollars, rubles, baht and rupiah from gambling ads and adult ads since the beginning. The same sites and their seeders also make money injecting popular downloads with malware so that infected computers pass them private financial data.

Then all the money they make gets re-invested into the operations of other criminal enterprises, like the Pacific human trafficking routes, buying rental properties everywhere using shell companies, etc.

 

[drak22]

Do you remember when you had to pay for a Mac Version update? This was common practice with Windows and Apple, which Apple stopped charging for. People can wait for at least the public beta.

I don’t know if it’s a generational thing, but some people feel entitled to other peoples property. Apple are well within their rights to do this and except for the most selfish people, the majority would support this idea.

Even BetaProfiles.com say they are a site dedicated to discussing beta products. They are not a site to distribute software illegally.

windows and mac have had a different way of distribution, which seemed to be the same with windows 10, but it was only halfway in the end. Anyway, that for stable releases and different versions, windows betas have never charged them, and today the insider program has several levels depending on the stability you want to have: the more stable, the fewer new features and vice versa. Anyway, I don't see much point in taking out the form of monetization of the new versions of both systems when we talk about the fact that they have closed a web page that offered beta profiles.

 

[drak22]

regarding this movement, apple has just given free advertising to this kind of sites, because yes, there are many of the style from what I could verify. I did a quick google search last night, and found at least 4 that offer beta profiles the same way betaprofile did. It has gone from mentioning them in passing in an article a year almost from the most general media, to seeing a couple of articles in between talking about the news, what has happened, and even alternatives exist. if apple tried to cover the sun with a finger, it seems to me that it is going to burn.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

This took longer than I expected it would. BP for example was really well known for years as a quick dependable source for those who aren't developers.

 

[stocklen]

Why do people feel so entitled nowadays to have whatever they want... do whatever they want... and whenever someone criticises that attitude or tries to explain why its wrong they get met with aggression. "ill do what I like".....

Developer beta is designed for developers. Its pretty obvious. Not hard to understand that concept surely.
Public beta is when the software is a bit more stable and available for the public to try and feedback on. You only have to wait a few short weeks from one to the other.

If you aren't a developer... and you dont develop apps that need testing on the new software... then the developer beta isnt for you. Apple take rudimentary steps to stop non-developers getting their hands on it for the best of reasons.

Whats the point of these sites - apple quite rightly are shutting them down.... for goodness sake wait another 4 weeks till the public betas are available.... Name me one good reason why any non-developer NEEDS access to the beta so soon. There is none... apart from a sense of entitlement which is all too common lately.

Take Yoooootoooober for example. Literally an hour after the first developer beta is released, there is a race to be the first to release a video... monetising those clicks and ads they made from it. Are ANY of these yooootoobers actual genuine developers? I would respectfully suggest that 99.9% of them are not and wouldn't know a line of code if it bit them on the @ss... however they all seem to have a developer account and download it - but when thats cost them $99 and its a drop in the ocean compared to what those videos make them.... you can see how it is abused.

 

[votdfak]

You want to try new features, you don't need to develop stuff to be able to enjoy dev beta.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

I am just speculating here, but I wonder if there was a big uptick in people calling Apple or going to Apple Stores with issues from iOS16 when only the dev beta was available. It was pretty buggy in the early betas, more so than previous betas. Maybe it was becoming a problem of using resources on people that shouldn't have access at that time.

 

[steve09090]

windows and mac have had a different way of distribution, which seemed to be the same with windows 10, but it was only halfway in the end. Anyway, that for stable releases and different versions, windows betas have never charged them, and today the insider program has several levels depending on the stability you want to have: the more stable, the fewer new features and vice versa. Anyway, I don't see much point in taking out the form of monetization of the new versions of both systems when we talk about the fact that they have closed a web page that offered beta profiles.

Who said they have closed a web page distributing illegal links to the developer version of the OS? That’s not a fact, it’s an assumption. Notwithstanding, you play with fire, you get burned. I have no sympathy if they actually did that, or even if they didn’t.

 

[ponzicoinbro]

I am just speculating here, but I wonder if there was a big uptick in people calling Apple or going to Apple Stores with issues from iOS16 when only the dev beta was available. It was pretty buggy in the early betas, more so than previous betas. Maybe it was becoming a problem of using resources on people that shouldn't have access at that time.

Devs (should be) use a secondary device for beta testing.

It should also be common knowledge that public betas shouldn’t be installed on day to day devices and anyone taking such risks will simply be told to uninstall the beta when they ask for help in a store.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

Devs (should be) use a secondary device for beta testing.

It should also be common knowledge that public betas shouldn’t be installed on day to day devices and anyone taking such risks will simply be told to uninstall the beta when they ask for help in a store.

I agree, but that could be why Apple cracked down on it since a lot of non-devs were using it and were running into problems.

 

[NightFox]

This is one fight I want Apple to win...

Why?

 

[ProfessionalFan]

Why?

Yeah, I'm not sure I understand why Apple customers would root for Apple on this. Whether they are in the right to do this (they are) or not.

Apple employees maybe since they have to field calls and visits from people running software they should not be running. But regular customers? That seems weird to me. Someone else running the dev beta has absolutely no effect on you or me.

 

[steve09090]

Yeah, I'm not sure I understand why Apple customers would root for Apple on this. Whether they are in the right to do this (they are) or not.

Apple employees maybe since they have to field calls and visits from people running software they should not be running. But regular customers? That seems weird to me. Someone else running the dev beta has absolutely no effect on you or me.

Why would I be Supporting Apple in this? Because I'm patient and can wait a few months for a stable release. Or if I’m impatient, I can get the Public Beta. Or of I will wet my pants because someone else had it before me, I’d pay the $99.

other than that…

Firstly, it’s a form of stealing.
Secondly, it's not the purpose of the program.
Thirdly, companies that run websites that illegally distribute these are making money from someone else’s tech.
As has been said before. It’s people who Believe they are entitled to this for some buzz of being first. Whooppee to them. Some people need to learn a little patience. Entitled…

 

[ponzicoinbro]

I agree, but that could be why Apple cracked down on it since a lot of non-devs were using it and were running into problems.

Yeah total headache.

So imagine side loaders transforming their phones into a flea market full of apps that are out of Apple‘s control, below their standards, and deliberately try to harm users.

What company would want to deal with all the complaints from reckless users.

 

[kc9hzn]

Pointless. The whole point of getting beta through dev is to experience new features asap. If I have the patience to wait for public beta, I might as well just wait for public release.

Different people with different strokes I know. No need to point out the obvious.

I mean, you’re categorically wrong, but whatever. /s

But seriously, though, the vast majority of new features in an iOS release are what you might call app facing features, such as APIs that require applications to adopt them. You generally don’t get to use those features until right before the public release anyway. But unless you’re filing bug reports (and testing apps you develop to make sure they don’t break and/or support the new APIs/features you want to add support for), you don’t need the developer betas or even public betas. You want access to the features early, but that’s not really justification on its own. And so help me if you download the beta but never file bug reports, all because you downloaded the beta for “new features”!

 

[MLVC]

I am just speculating here, but I wonder if there was a big uptick in people calling Apple or going to Apple Stores with issues from iOS16 when only the dev beta was available. It was pretty buggy in the early betas, more so than previous betas. Maybe it was becoming a problem of using resources on people that shouldn't have access at that time.

I found it to be more stable compared to previous betas. Right from beta 1 on.

 

[kc9hzn]

Devs (should be) use a secondary device for beta testing.

It should also be common knowledge that public betas shouldn’t be installed on day to day devices and anyone taking such risks will simply be told to uninstall the beta when they ask for help in a store.

Yeah, but so many people put them on their primary daily driver devices. Stupid, yes, especially considering that early betas may have serious issues and are fairly likely to break your workflow. And there’s not an easy way to revert back to stable iOS.

 

[jdclifford]

It is a sad day. (Also surprised it took this long… guess I'll never delete the dev profiles now?)

Apple will eventually update the profiles so the existing ones will no longer work.

 

[Premium1]

The big difference is in order to use a dev beta, you enter into a legally binding contract with Apple. By going to a third party such as Beta Profiles, there is no binding agreement with Apple and no guarantee that the profile you are getting only loads a beta of iOS. iOS is covered by a multitude of patents and is Apple’s property. It’s up to Apple with whom they share it with.

Lets be honest, beta profiles and the like, likely paid $99 for dev access and then illegally offered the beta profile publicly (it’s no longer linked to an account or device ID). This is nothing more than piracy and is a nefarious way of directing clicks and views to their website where they’re likely making a lot more than the $99 dev fee. You cannot legally offer somebody else’s IP without permission. To knowingly use a service such as this makes you part of the problem.

Except the profile is still signed by apple so if it was tampered with (to load something else) it wouldn't work since it's not signed by apple. Again this is nothing more than apple wanting to pad their bottom line with the $99 developer fees.

 

[Premium1]

Apple doesn't want people that should be in their public beta in their developer beta. I can only imagine how many people in the public don't even submit feedback, and if they do, it's probably "This is broken! FIX IT!". That's not useful without any details. You can only get so much info from logs. True developers tend to be more detailed and useful in their feedback, especially when it comes to the underlying APIs of which the average person has absolutely no knowledge. Even if you do submit feedback, it's only going to be UI/UX related and maybe error dialogs you get. Unless you are a developer, you are not going to be able to say something is wrong with a specific API, some of which do affect the UI/UX that a user would see. Those types of issues are usually fixed by the time the next public beta is released. There's a reason why patience is truly a virtue.

The same people who you describe in your post are the same ones who aren't going to search out a beta profile site (they probably have no clue what a beta profile is in the first place). Not to mention the fact that like you said, even with the public beta they are not submitting feedback.

 

[Xenden]

That's the point of the Public Beta. Apple Beta Software Program

The point of the public beta really is to get it into more hands and find more bugs before the fall general release.

Why do people feel so entitled nowadays to have whatever they want... do whatever they want... and whenever someone criticises that attitude or tries to explain why its wrong they get met with aggression.

It could be argued that those who don’t like others who used betaprofilies are a little too upset about something that really doesn’t affect them. A lot of the commenters in this thread seem pretty upset that there were people that used the dev profile to get early access.

Firstly, it’s a form of stealing.
Secondly, it's not the purpose of the program.
Thirdly, companies that run websites that illegally distribute these are making money from someone else’s tech.
As has been said before. It’s people who Believe they are entitled to this for some buzz of being first. Whooppee to them. Some people need to learn a little patience. Entitled…

How do you steal something that is free.

Also, I don’t see it as entitlement. The only people I see complaining are those who didn’t like people who used the site. The people actually affected have all said there will be other sites that will take its place; they aren’t really upset.

 

[MLVC]

How do you steal something that is free.

How is it free if somebody is paying money for access to the Apple dev portal? That is basically the definition of "not free".

 

[antmarobel]

Apple, we’re just going to find another way. We always have, we always will.

Sure they have public betas now, but those come out later, and updates to them come out later too.

There are so many other ways to follow hahahahahahaha

 

[uniquexoxo]

Well does anyone has the ios16 dev beta profile for download? 😂

 

[citysnaps]

Why do people feel so entitled nowadays to have whatever they want... do whatever they want... and whenever someone criticises that attitude or tries to explain why its wrong they get met with aggression. "ill do what I like".....

It helps some people get through the day with a little blip of power (that's otherwise lacking in their life) feeling that they can do whatever they want. And then letting the world know bragging about it on a public forum.