Apple Rolls Out iPhone X-Specific Beta Update To Developers

The highly anticipated iPhone X has finally arrived. Hot on the heels of the 10th anniversary iPhone’s launch, Apple has rolled out a beta update specifically intended for the OLED model to developers. Based on what’s known so far about the pre-release software, it will likely be a minor upgrade designed to fix certain bugs uncovered in the previous release.

iOS 11 beta 2 was actually released on Monday. However, Apple intentionally delayed the iPhone X-specific beta update due to the fact that developers won’t have access to the hardware until Nov. 3 — the official release of the Cupertino giant’s first OLED smartphone, according to Apple Insider.

Developers can now download the software directly from Apple’s Developer Center. They may also choose to obtain it over-the-air using the update mechanism in the App Store. This is encouraged when the device they are using has the proper configuration profile.

The advantage of downloading and installing the iOS 11.2 beta 2 for iPhone X is developers can now install the backup they created with another iPhone model onto an iPhone X handset. Another benefit is having access to the bug fixes present in the beta update on their iPhone X.

According to MacRumors, iOS 11.2 is going to be a minimal update, but it’s very helpful to users who are bothered by the animation bug present in the Calculator app. As previously reported, this animation bug causes the app to ignore some numbers and symbols when they are pressed in rapid succession. To solve this, iOS 11.2 removes the animation, so that users can quickly do their calculations and obtain the right answers.

Additionally, iOS 11.2 comes with a redesigned camera emoji, a new loading animation for Live Photo effects and a Now Playing widget for Apple TV media in Control Center. It also introduces SiriKit commands for Apple’s upcoming smart speaker called HomePod.

There’s no information available on the release date of iOS 11.2. For now though, users who already received their iPhone X should update their device to iOS 11.1. 9to5Mac has learned that most iPhone X units are shipping with iOS 11.0.1 installed. Updating their device to the latest iOS version would give them access to a slew of new emojis, improvements and bug fixes.

With iOS 11.1, users get over 70 new emoji characters, including mythical creatures, animals, new smiley faces, and new food types, among others. The update also resolves Photos app issues such as the one that causes some pics to appear blurry, or the one that causes Life Photo effects to playback very slowly. It also revives support for accessing the app switcher by simply pressing on the edge of the display, as pointed out by Forbes.

iOS 11.1 is not limited to the new iPhones — iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. It is compatible with iPhone 5s, iPad mini 2, the 6th generation iPod touch and the newer iterations of the three product lines. To update, users should head to Settings > General > Software Update. Once download is done, the update will be verified and installed.