14 DAY TRIAL // Developers running iOS 5 betas are being handed a new version containing bug fixes and improvements. The new beta can be downloaded either over-the-air (OTA) or as a complete IPSW file from Apple’s iOS Dev Center alongside fresh builds of Xcode, and iTunes.
Released almost two weeks ago to those enrolled with the $99-a-year developer program, iOS 5 Beta 6 also focused on bug fixing but featured a major change as well - it marked the last time developers could use their customer’s unique device identifiers (UUID).
Apple, however, is believed to have retained the rights to use them for purposes like serving iAds, and Game Center.
Also starting in iOS 5 Beta 6, video content in applications and websites was AirPlay-enabled by default. The software supports AirPlay of video via AV Foundation as well.
iOS 5 Beta 7 and the developer tools accompanying it come with their own new additions.
For example, it is now possible to extract APIs used by an application and have them checked for private APIs usage. This option will be offered at Validation time, according to Apple.
The requirements for specifying container identifier strings in an app’s entitlements have changed, and devs are being told that the number of times an app can synchronize in quick succession with the servers has been reduced.
When trying to restore an iPhone 3GS or iPod touch 3rd generation running Beta 6 to Beta 7 using iTunes, developers will have to set the device into DFU mode. Alternately, devs can OTA update to Beta 7, Apple says.
Also noteworthy for those planning to use Xcode against this new iOS beta, “starting with Xcode 4.2 in iOS 5.0 beta 7, support to run and debug applications in the iOS 4.3 Simulator and on devices with iOS versions older than 4.2 is made optional and installed on demand,” according to the release notes.
Apple has never released seven betas for a single major iOS update so far. If the company doesn’t plan to roll out an eighth, iOS 5 GM (Golden Master) is up next.