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Apple shared the Release Candidate developer betas for iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2, with developers able to try out the latest iteration of the inbound update on their devices.
The latest builds can be downloaded by developers taking part in the beta-testing program via the Apple Developer Center, or as an over-the-air update for any hardware that's already running the beta builds. Public beta versions of the releases generally arrive a short while after their developer counterparts, available through the Apple Beta Software Program website.
The Release Candidate builds replace the fourth, which arrived on December 1. The third round landed on November 15, the second on November 8, and the first on October 25.
The RC iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 betas have build number 20C65, replacing the fourth build, 20C5058d. The RC beta of watchOS 9.2 has build number 20S361, taking over from the previous version, build 20S5357b. The tvOS 16.2 and HomePod Software Version 16.2 RC beta is build 20K362, in place of the fourth build, number 20K5357b.
Apple also released betas for iOS 15.7.2 and iPadOS 15.7.2 for testing on older devices.
The main attraction of the betas for iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 has, so far, been the inclusion of Freeform. It's a cross-platform productivity app that allows for group brainstorming, using a large single space that can incorporate other files and multiple users editing it at the same time.
AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly insist users don't install betas onto "mission-critical" or primary devices, due to the minor chance of data loss or other issues. Instead, testers should install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to ensure there are sufficient backups of important data before updating.
Find any changes in the new betas? Reach out to us on Twitter at @AppleInsider or @Andrew_OSU, or send Andrew an email at [email protected].
