Apple has started seeding a second public beta of iOS 9 to public beta testers, bringing with it a host of minor new features and the usual bug fixes and speed improvements in its latest firmware.
The second iOS 9 public beta is now in line with the fourth developer version of the software, which means public beta testers now get to see the comeback of Home Sharing for music, which Apple removed in iOS 8.4 but decided to add back in the iOS 9 developer version. With Home Sharing back, beta testers can share their iTunes Library with their family members over a Wi-Fi network.
The iOS 9 public beta now also includes support for the upgraded iPod Touch that now runs on Apple's A8 chipset, so users of the new iPod can try out iOS 9 for themselves using a new installation Apple added specifically for the iPod Touch. For iPad users, Apple added a new feature called Picture in Picture for Podcasts, a sort of multitasking feature that allows users to open and use other apps while they are watching videos in the Podcasts app.
For Apple Pay, iOS 9 includes an option in the Settings app that lets users turn off a feature which allows them access Apple Pay from the home button with a double click. The iOS camera also gets a bug fix that prevents users from using the volume buttons as shutter buttons when taking pictures. The second iOS 9 public beta should have remedied that issue.
On the design front, Apple has taken the Handoff button in the App Switcher from the app carousel to the bottom of the screen, which should make it easier for users to take whatever they are working on one device and easily send it to another so they can pick up from where they left off. The Notifications icon also received a minor makeover, as it is now red, and the Battery icon gets soft, rounded corners.
Public beta testers who are now on iOS 9 can upgrade their firmware to the second version via an over-the-air update. To do this, they need to go to the Settings app, open General, Profile and iOS 9 Beta Software Profile and delete the existing profile. They will be prompted to confirm if they want to delete the profile or not before rebooting their device.
Once the device has rebooted, users should open the Settings app again, go to General and Software Update. The device will start looking for the second iOS 9 public beta, and once the update is detected, users can simply tap Download and Install.
It should be noted that only users who have secondary devices are advised to use the iOS 9 public beta, as it is not a final build of the software and Apple has not yet finished cleaning out the bugs and kinks of the software. Users who use their iPhones, iPads and iPods for work, school or anything else that is too important to risk encountering a bug over are not recommended to download the public beta.
Photo: Håkan Dahlström | Flickr
