Apple released the third iOS 17.5 beta to public beta testers on Wednesday, a day after the company released the beta to developers, and almost two months after the release of iOS 17.4. The latest beta brings a handful of new features to the iPhones of some developers and beta testers, like more ways for people in the European Union to download apps.
We recommend downloading a beta only on something other than your primary device. Because this isn’t the final version of iOS 17.5, these features might be buggy and battery life may be short, and it’s best to keep those troubles on a secondary device.
If you’re a developer or public beta tester, here are some of the new features you might find in iOS 17.5 beta 1. Note that the beta is not the final version of iOS 17.5, so there could be more features landing on your iPhone when iOS 17.5 is released. There’s no word on when Apple will release iOS 17.5 to the public yet.
Read more: You Should Really Download iOS 17.4.1 Right Now
More ways for people in the EU to download apps
With iOS 17.5 beta 2, Apple now allows people in the EU to download apps from a developer’s website. Apple posted an online guide that could help developers distribute their apps over the web.
“In eligible regions, you can distribute approved, non-marketplace apps from your website,” Apple writes. “To distribute your app, fill out a webform that outlines the qualifications, and if approved, Apple enables you to download a framework that facilitates the secure installation of your app from your website.”
This guide also says developers need to use iOS 17.5 beta 2 or later to enable web distribution of their apps.
Developers also have to opt into new App Store business terms for the EU and pay a 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee for every first-time app installation over 1 million in the past 12 months. But Apple gives developers the first 1 million first-time app installations for free.
“Membership in the Apple Developer Program includes one million first annual installs per year for free for apps distributed from the App Store, Web Distribution, and/or alternative marketplaces,” Apple writes.
Apple announced this capability on March 12, alongside other EU-specific developer features, like the ability to choose the design of in-app promotions.
This is the latest EU-specific feature to come to the iPhone. When Apple released iOS 17.4 in March, a big part of that update was allowing people in the EU to download alternate app stores in order to comply with the region’s Digital Markets Act.
Detect and disable unknown trackers
You will be able to compete with your friends and families on your News Plus puzzles.
“Send your results to Game Center to see how you rank among friends and other solvers on today’s puzzles,” Apple writes under this setting.
It’s important to note that anyone can enable this setting, but if you don’t have an Apple News Plus subscription, you can’t play the daily puzzles and therefore can’t post anything to these leaderboards.
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