Apple launches iOS 8.3 public beta

Posted:
in iPhone edited March 2015
Apple on Thursday officially expanded its public software beta program to include iOS, seeding members with iOS 8.3 beta 3, the same version provided to registered developers earlier in the day.


Image via Twitter user Simche


Apple urges beta testers to back up their iOS device using iTunes, and reminds them that beta software should not be installed on mission-critical devices. As with the OS X betas, a Feedback Assistant app will allow testers to report problems directly to Apple.

The company has also provided new instructions for iOS testers to restore a shipping version of iOS to their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch before the final release of iOS 8.3. To do so, testers must first erase their device, then re-install the latest shipping version -- in this case, iOS 8.2 --?before restoring their iTunes backup.

The release comes alongside a rebranding of the initiative to the "Apple Beta Software Program," eschewing the OS X-specific language it previously employed. The iOS portion of the program is still in the midst of a staged rollout, so testers who do not see it on their dashboard are advised to check back later.

The number of known issues in iOS 8 has dwindled as the software nears release. Thursday's version includes just a few low-priority problems, including trouble with outgoing telephone or FaceTime calls on CarPlay, issues with third-party keyboards and Spotlight, and an image animation problem in WatchKit.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Well, time to burn it all down and salt the Earth. iOS bug fix timeframes will take a nosedive now that John Q. Moron will be flooding the reports with non-bugs.

  • Reply 2 of 21

    I'm toying with this...but I'm still enjoying my bug-free 8.2. Not sure I want to louse that up.

  • Reply 3 of 21
    solipsismysolipsismy Posts: 5,099member
    The company has also provided new instructions for iOS testers to restore a shipping version of iOS to their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch before the final release of iOS 8.3. To do so, testers must first erase their device, then re-install the latest shipping version -- in this case, iOS 8.2 --?before restoring their iTunes backup.

    I think that's a first for iOS. Kudos Apple. I will now participate.


    edit: I'm not seeing iOS as an option on their AppleSeed site, only Mac OS X.
  • Reply 4 of 21
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by SolipsismY View Post

    I think that's a first for iOS. Kudos Apple. I will now participate.



    That’s a bright spot, certainly.

  • Reply 5 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismY View Post





    I think that's a first for iOS. Kudos Apple. I will now participate.





    edit: I'm not seeing iOS as an option on their AppleSeed site, only Mac OS X.



    My same issue. I think TechCrunch or someone was saying it may take a bit to show up.

  • Reply 6 of 21
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member

    How about you fix some damn bugs Apple instead of releasing it to the public. There are things that I can't fix in iOS 8 still!

     

    1) Improper Microsoft Word formatting in UIWebView.

    2) Kernel panic iOS-level crash when using external video over Lightning video adapters.

    3) Terrible WiFi performance and issues with the Multipeer Connectivity Framework.

     

    Best yet... I can't log into the bug reporter.  No error message of why and no response from anyone at Apple.

     

    This makes me look forward to Android development.

  • Reply 7 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismY View Post



    edit: I'm not seeing iOS as an option on their AppleSeed site, only Mac OS X.

     

    You should be seeing an invite soon if you don't already have one.

  • Reply 8 of 21
    Woohoo Siri for New Zealand.

    Will be interesting to see how well it works.

    Fush and Chups for evurywon
  • Reply 9 of 21

    It is important to note that more Beta testers doesn't necessarily mean more reliable software. The Beta testers must cover a broad range of hardware/app/network setups to be effective. Apple also needs to assign developers/engineers to reviewing the reports from beta testers, tracking down and fixing the issues, and then following up with beta testers to make sure the issue is completely resolved.

  • Reply 10 of 21
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    I'm toying with this...but I'm still enjoying my bug-free 8.2. Not sure I want to louse that up.

    Totally agree.

    I'm loving the silky smoothness of 8.2 so much that I don't want to step off the porch back into the bug-infested wilderness of Beta territory.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    Fush and Chups for evurywon

    LOL

    That was funny, bro!
  • Reply 12 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GTR View Post





    Totally agree.



    I'm loving the silky smoothness of 8.2 so much that I don't want to step off the porch back into the bug-infested wilderness of Beta territory.

    "Thursday's version includes just a few low-priority problems, including trouble with outgoing telephone or FaceTime calls on CarPlay, issues with third-party keyboards and Spotlight, and an image animation problem in WatchKit."

     

    All it does is fix bugs in the current version of 8.2.

  • Reply 13 of 21
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    sam graves wrote: »
    "Thursday's version includes just a few low-priority problems, including trouble with outgoing telephone or FaceTime calls on CarPlay, issues with third-party keyboards and Spotlight, and an image animation problem in WatchKit."

    All it does is fix bugs in the current version of 8.2.

    You just described software in general.

    Don't install 8.3 then as it'd be better to wait for the bug fixes for 8.3 in 8.4.
  • Reply 14 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GTR View Post





    You just described software in general.



    Don't install 8.3 then as it'd be better to wait for the bug fixes for 8.3 in 8.4.

    Exactly my point.

  • Reply 15 of 21
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    sam graves wrote: »
    Exactly my point.

    So, don't install any software ever?

    ????
  • Reply 16 of 21
    Does anyone else have TV shows in the Videos app that are only grouped by season number and not grouped by the TV show first? This was fine in 8.1.3 but no good in 8.2, 8.3.
  • Reply 17 of 21
    jabohnjabohn Posts: 582member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by RalphMouth View Post

     

    It is important to note that more Beta testers doesn't necessarily mean more reliable software. The Beta testers must cover a broad range of hardware/app/network setups to be effective. Apple also needs to assign developers/engineers to reviewing the reports from beta testers, tracking down and fixing the issues, and then following up with beta testers to make sure the issue is completely resolved.




    The Public Beta users aren't granted the same access as developers. The bug reporting tools are more limited and they don't get direct access to Apple Engineers and I don't think they'll get any replies or followups either.

  • Reply 18 of 21

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jkichline : View Post

     

    How about you fix some damn bugs Apple instead of releasing it to the public. There are things that I can't fix in iOS 8 still!

     

    1) Improper Microsoft Word formatting in UIWebView.

    2) Kernel panic iOS-level crash when using external video over Lightning video adapters.

    3) Terrible WiFi performance and issues with the Multipeer Connectivity Framework.

     

    Best yet... I can't log into the bug reporter.  No error message of why and no response from anyone at Apple.


     

    Apple is not releasing iOS 8.3 to the public. This is a beta, so they can FIX bugs before 8.3 is actually released. And what actually happens when you try to login at https://bugreport.apple.com/? Did you try to contact the email [email protected]? And if that gained no response, have you tried contacting AppleCare via a phone call?

     

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jabohn : View Post

     

    The Public Beta users aren't granted the same access as developers. The bug reporting tools are more limited and they don't get direct access to Apple Engineers and I don't think they'll get any replies or followups either.


     

    This is true. But then again anyone can access https://bugreport.apple.com. You do get replies and access to Apple Engineers on that one. Just sign in with your Apple ID, and create a new report. No paid developer account needed, you'll be assigned a free developer account.

  • Reply 19 of 21
    gdoggdog Posts: 224member

    is 8.3 beta smooth and faster than 8.2.    i would like to try but am happy with 8.2 so far.  is it worth the trouble to update?  looking for someone that actually installed the beta.

  • Reply 20 of 21
    apaolaapaola Posts: 3member
    Yeah. Apple finally figured out this thing called software configuration management.
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