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Here's Everything New in iOS 17.5 Beta 1 So Far

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Apple this week made the first betas of iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 available to developers for testing. The upcoming software updates include only a few new user-facing features so far, but hidden code changes reveal some additional possibilities.

iOS-17.5-Feature-Orange.jpg

Below, we have recapped everything new in the first iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 betas so far.

Web Distribution

apple-ios-app-store-safari-changes.jpeg

Starting with iOS 17.5, iPhone users in the EU will be able to download iOS apps directly from the websites of select developers.

Apple previously announced that "Web Distribution" would be available starting "later this spring" with an upcoming software update for the iPhone, and the first beta of iOS 17.5 includes newly-added code to support the feature.

"Web Distribution" will be limited to larger developers based in the EU. To qualify for this distribution method, Apple says the developer must be a member of the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more, and have an app that had more than one million annual installs on iOS in the EU in the prior calendar year.

"Web Distribution" builds upon the alternative app marketplaces that Apple already allows on the iPhone in the EU starting with iOS 17.4. Apple has made these app-related changes to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act.

Color-Changing Apple Podcasts Widget

While listening to a podcast on the iOS 17.5 beta, the background color of the Apple Podcasts widget changes to match the podcast's cover art. This feature was first added in the iOS 17.4 beta, but it was removed before that update was released.


Mobile Device Management


As noted by Aaron Perris, MDM solutions can enforce an iOS beta version during Automated Device Enrollment starting with the iOS 17.5 beta.

Code Changes


Battery Health Menu for Future iPads

iPad-Battery-Feature.jpg

The first iPadOS 17.5 beta includes several new references to a Battery Health menu on the iPad, but the feature is not actually visible yet. The menu is expected to show an iPad battery's maximum remaining capacity and cycle count.

A sample of the code strings added in the iPadOS 17.5 beta:

  • "iPad must be regularly used while not connected to power to show maximum capacity."
  • "This is the number of times iPad has used your battery's capacity."
  • "The iPad battery is performing as expected."
  • "iPad batteries, like all rechargeable batteries, have a limited lifespan and may eventually need to be serviced or replaced."
  • "The original battery was designed to retain X capacity at X cycles under ideal conditions. Actual battery performance depends on a number of variables, including how iPad is used and charged regularly. The one-year warranty includes service for defective batteries in addition to rights provided under local consumer laws."

There is no visible Battery Health menu on any existing iPad models on the first iPadOS 17.5 beta, leading us to believe that the menu may be limited to the new iPad Pro and iPad Air models that are rumored to launch in May, and likely other new iPads released in the future. Apple has shown battery capacity information on iPhones for many years, but cycle count information is currently limited to the latest iPhone 15 series.

New Apple Pencil

apple-pencil.jpeg

The first beta of iOS 17.5 potentially references a new fourth-generation Apple Pencil, amid rumors that the accessory will be updated soon.

The beta includes a hidden code reference to a "V4" version of the Apple Pencil:
NumberOfApplePencilV1ConnectionsCount
NumberOfApplePencilV2ConnectionsCount
NumberOfApplePencilV3ConnectionsCount
NumberOfApplePencilV4ConnectionsCount
Click to expand...
A new Apple Pencil is rumored to launch alongside updated iPad Pro and iPad Air models in May. Apple refers to the USB-C version of the Apple Pencil released last year as the third-generation Apple Pencil in iOS code, so the fourth-generation model would be a new version that would likely succeed the second-generation Apple Pencil.

Additional code in the iOS 17.5 beta suggests that the Apple Pencil could gain a "squeeze" gesture for certain actions, but details are slim.

Third-Party Item Tracker Alerts

AirTag-and-iPhone-Notification-Feature.jpg

Apple and Google last year jointly announced a proposed industry specification to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth item trackers for unwanted tracking of individuals. As part of this initiative, Apple promised to expand AirTag-like "Found Moving With You" alerts to third-party item trackers in a future software update, which may be iOS 17.5.

The first iOS 17.5 beta adds references to alerts for third-party item trackers. For example: "You can disable this item and stop it from sharing its location with the owner. To do this, follow the instructions provided on a website by the manufacturer of this item."

Tile, Chipolo, Samsung, Eufy, and Pebblebee all expressed support for the industry specification, accordi... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: Here's Everything New in iOS 17.5 Beta 1 So Far
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/03/everything-new-in-ios-17-5-beta-1/
Last edited:
nt5672 said:
Well that is a little sleepy. Maybe there should be some bug fixes too.
Click to expand...

They never talk about those. It's all the tech people want to hear but they don't usually want to admit anything was less than perfect. I would love for someone to correct me if I'm wrong but even in the developer release notes there is rarely any mention of a user facing bug fix, and I can't find anywhere else they give any details. Not counting the security announcements that usually follow a week or so later.
 
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CarAnalogy said:
They never talk about those. It's all the tech people want to hear but they don't usually want to admit anything was less than perfect. I would love for someone to correct me if I'm wrong but even in the developer release notes there is rarely any mention of a user facing bug fix, and I can't find anywhere else they give any details. Not counting the security announcements that usually follow a week or so later.
Click to expand...
I will say that when I've reported bugs with a dev profile sometimes, maybe 50% of the time, they'll respond and say "X is fixed in the latest beta. Please test it." There was one last year that incorrectly reset something on an update and a few weeks after I reported they said in the feedback app that it was fixed. It didn't do it on the next update, but this was never mentioned in any release notes that I saw.
 
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So what's the rationale for only letting "special" developers host apps that can be installed via the web, instead of via a store? Why can't Apple just let people install apps, like they do on macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and freakin' NeXT‽


CraigJDuffy said:
I swear if they limit the battery health feature to the new iPads only like they did the iPhone 15.
Click to expand...
It requires the power of an M3 SoC.
 
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centauratlas said:
I will say that when I've reported bugs with a dev profile sometimes, maybe 50% of the time, they'll respond and say "X is fixed in the latest beta. Please test it." There was one last year that incorrectly reset something on an update and a few weeks after I reported they said in the feedback app that it was fixed. It didn't do it on the next update, but this was never mentioned in any release notes that I saw.
Click to expand...

I can't be too mad as long as they get fixed. Documentation is hard. I hear a lot of complaints but it's good to hear when the system works.
 
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someone on reddit mentioned issues they were having with Homekit were resolved after updating, and things like their cameras were loading way faster.

not sure if anyone else has noticed Homekit improvements
 
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nt5672 said:
Well that is a little sleepy. Maybe there should be some bug fixes too.
Click to expand...
Always bug fixes.. when we’re this late in the software release cycle, can anyone expect much other than bug fixes? Usually, this can be a good time to be on the betas as general issues tend to be tested and fixed during this time.
 
thejadedmonkey said:
So what's the rationale for only letting "special" developers host apps that can be installed via the web, instead of via a store? Why can't Apple just let people install apps, like they do on macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and freakin' NeXT‽



It requires the power of an M3 SoC.
Click to expand...
Fuzzball84 said:
New iPad battery monitoring leverages the power of M3 and advanced ML to bring you battery capacity remaining and cycle count.
Click to expand...
you are mistaken - it does not, the hardware for adjusting battery charge limits have been in the iphone for over a decade, there is no reason to limit this to the iphone 15 or any specific model - it is strictly apple limiting the feture in software. Also, for the second point, cycle and capacity counts are kept on the charge controller for all generations of iphones - it does not require some magic processing power.
 
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"This is the number of times iPad has used your battery's capacity."
Click to expand...

Minor point but Apple’s bizarre insistence on avoiding articles (“this iPad,” “your iPad”) makes for some very awkward sentences for no good reason.
 
Fuzzball84 said:
New iPad battery monitoring leverages the power of M3 and advanced ML to bring you battery capacity remaining and cycle count.
Click to expand...

The really sad thing is they're going to keep saying things like this until people forget that it doesn't actually take AI and ML to do basic things. I know this was a joke but it sounds so plausibly like something they would say,
 
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