Here's what's new in beta 3 of iOS 16.5, iPadOS 16.5, macOS 13.4, watchOS 9.5, and tvOS 16.5

iOS 16
(Image credit: iMore)

Apple continues to work its way through the latest round of betas as it gets ready to ship updated iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV software to the public.

New versions of iOS 16.5, iPadOS 16.5, macOS 13.4, watchOS 9.5, and tvOS 16.5 are all in the works and the third beta is now available for download so long as you're a registered Apple developer or are on the public beta program.

It's looking increasingly unlikely that these updates will bring any big new features to the table when they finally ship to the world, but that doesn't mean that there aren't at least a couple of things to discuss.

iOS 16.5 & iPadOS 16.5

iOS 16 lock screen

(Image credit: Penfer / Unsplash)

There haven't been any big new changes in this latest beta which means you're still left with what we already knew. That includes the fact that iOS 16.5 allows us to use Siri to start screen recordings for the first time while a new Sports tab has been added to the Apple News app.

That is to say that we shouldn't expect anything big in future betas either. Apple will soon turn its attention to iOS 17, which is sure to be the software that will run the best iPhone Apple has ever shipped when the iPhone 15 Pro arrives later in 2023.

Over in the iPad world, iPadOS 16.5 doesn't bring anything new to the tablet table although the iOS 16.5 changes should also apply. 

macOS 13.4

M2 Macbook Pro 13 Inch Hero

(Image credit: Future)

Installing a macOS beta will change with macOS 13.5 it seems. The betas include the same improved beta management system that we already have on the iPhone and iPad, meaning no more profiles.

With macOS 13.5 installed users will need to be signed into an Apple ID that's associated with a developer account or the public beta program in order to install betas in the future.

This is a big change and means that people won't be able to install betas if they shouldn't have access to them. Previously, websites hosted developer profiles that could allow people to install betas at will.

watchOS 9.5

Apple Watch series 8

(Image credit: Future / iMore)

It's a similar story in watchOS 9.5 as well, with Apple beginning to lay the groundwork for the ditching of beta profiles.

That's a particularly wise move on the Apple Watch. With the Apple Watch unable to be downgraded, those who find themselves with a wearable that's broken because of a beta release have to send it to Apple for repair. That isn't something Apple wants people to get involved in if they don't have a valid reason to be using the betas in the first place.

tvOS 16.5

The hardware and interface for Apple TV 4K in 2022.

(Image credit: Gerald Lynch / Future)

When it comes to tvOS updates Apple is notoriously difficult to read. There are often no release notes, although big changes are unlikely regardless.

In the case of tvOS 16.5, Apple's release notes say that a shared administrator in a home can now pair and add Matter accessories, which is nice. How many people will bump into that is unclear, but that's what the release notes say.

Beyond that, we haven't heard of anything new in this latest beta.

What's next?

We shouldn't expect too many changes to these betas as they get ready for public release and Apple is unlikely to add too many features to any of these updates in the future, either. With WWDC23 just around the corner, Apple is already keen to get iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS 14, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17 into the hands of beta testers. And that's when the real fun starts.

Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.