Apple has released the first iOS 10.1 public beta. Members of Apple’s Beta Software Program can download the previews now and register devices.
The biggest addition to the beta version of iOS 10.1 is Portrait mode for the iPhone 7 Plus.
Users must lock onto their subject in Portrait mode to separate it from the background, with the software implementing a bokeh depth-of-field effect utilizing both the regular camera and the telephoto lens.
Photos captured in the portrait mode with a bokeh application are labeled with “Depth Effect.”
The iPhone 7 Plus can produce a selectively out-of-focus portrait, utilizing a depth map generated by the dual-camera setup. While the feature was demonstrated at the iPhone 7 Plus unveiling earlier this month, it did not ship with the device and is scheduled for a future iOS 10 release.
Unlike Apple’s developer program, the Beta Software Program is free, and should offer more stable code than some developer seeds.
Users should nevertheless be cautious about installing beta code on a primary device, since it can still potentially cause issues like crashes, battery drain, or slow performance.
A list of fixes and changes in the new beta was not officially available at the time of publishing.
iOS 10.1 will run on the following iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad devices:
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 5s
- iPhone 5c
- iPhone 5
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch
- iPad Pro 9.7-inch
- iPad Air 2
- iPad Air
- iPad 4th generation
- iPad mini 4
- iPad mini 3
- iPad mini 2
- iPod touch 6th generation
How to sign up for a developer account or public beta membership
If you’re interested in becoming an Apple developer, you can visit developer.apple.com and join Apple’s Developer program. To get access to app distribution and developer betas, you’ll need to enroll in the company’s $99 per year developer membership.
Developers tend to get beta software first, but that software can be unstable and bug-prone. If you only want a peek at Apple’s new software, but don’t want to take the risk of bricking your device on a developer seed, the company also offers a public beta program for users.
You can sign up for the public beta by clicking the Sign Up link.
The iOS 10.1 beta can be downloaded as an over-the-air update. If and when you encounter issues, you should use the Feedback Assistant app that Apple includes with the beta releases of its software.
