On Tuesday, Apple released the fourth developer betas of iOS 8.4 and OS X 10.10.4, the next updates for the current versions of iOS and OS X. As with previous releases, the new betas focus on bug fixes and other enhancements for each of the two platforms, while the iOS beta continues to feature the preliminary Apple Music application, which will replace the current Music app but continue its functions with a revamped UI that also includes an optional subscription component. In addition, the company has released its first beta of Xcode 7.
There are still a number of known issues with the iOS 8.4 beta, mostly to do with iTunes Radio and the Music app as might be expected. Testing by
MacNN staffers has shown that some of the UI changes to the Music app can be confusing ("shuffle songs" is now very well-buried, but still present, and requires a user to start playing a picked song before the shuffle command is available), but more serious flaws exist in the fact that the beta version of Music doesn't yet support Home Sharing, AirPlay, or Genius mixes.
Since the previous beta, Apple has announced that both of the new updates will be released to the public on or before June 30, since they will be needed to support the new Apple Music subscription service and Beats 1 radio station, both of which are launching on that date. It has been a month since the last betas for the two platforms, but another will be likely ahead of final release.
Also released late Monday was a new first beta for Xcode 7, which now allows developers to write applications for OS X, iOS, and watchOS all in one unified environment. The program is part of the early iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 betas given to developers at the start of WWDC yesterday. Included in Xcode 7 is a new gaming API called GameplayKit, Model I/O, and a new feature, ReplayKit, which allows games to be able to capture movies of the game in operation for players to post.
Also included with Xcode 7 beta 1 is the new Swift 2 programming language update, which includes new error handling, and allows virtual headers in Xcode. Swift 2 will become open-source, giving developers the option of using it outside of Xcode, but the language is now deeply integrated into the IDE and is likely, along with Xcode's other features, to keep developers where they are.
The new OS X 10.10.4 build is identified as 14E33b, while iOS 8.4's new build number is 12H4125a. Both are available to registered developers through the Apple Developer portal, and to public testers who signed up for AppleSeed access. The beta for Xcode 7b1 is available
here.
Top