iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan have been in the hands of developers for a few weeks now. iOS 9 brings several new features to the mobile operating system while El Capitan is more a series of refinements to the current OS X Yosemite.
Regardless, the general public can now get their hands on both of these upcoming software releases. Apple users can try out iOS 9 and El Capitan on their Apple devices and leave feedback, helping Apple to shape the final official release this autumn.
Opting in is a straightforward process that simply requires registering your Apple ID online. From there, you can download and install the preview onto any compatible devices that you own.
It is worth noting that beta software should probably not be installed onto your primary device as it may be buggy, unstable and unrefined. Although it is possible to create a backup of iOS 8 to restore to in an emergency, if you don’t feel happy running potentially troublesome software then you should wait until the full release.
Those who do go ahead will quickly find a new “Apple Feedback Assistant” app has been installed for them. This is used to directly send reports to Apple from within the software, allowing you to flag up bugs and suggest improvements and fixes to problems.
Similarly to Microsoft’s Windows 10, Apple is encouraging its users to help shape the next evolution of iOS and Mac OS X so user feedback will be valuable. This is the main reason for the release of the beta to the general public.
iOS 9 features a more “proactive” Siri capable of hooking more deeply into your data. A Flipboard-style newsreader, News, has been added and Maps has seen some wide-ranging improvements. iPad users will find proper split-screen multitasking for the first time.
Meanwhile, Mac OS X “El Capitan” introduces refined multitasking too, split full-screen apps and improved performance. Both products will be available as free upgrades in the autumn and will be arriving pre-installed on new iPhones, iPads and Macs.
