14 DAY TRIAL // A new report suggests Apple will roll out iOS 7.1 before the end of February, but testers are reporting some issues with the software, which may prompt the company to launch another beta before the GM seed is born.
BGR’s sources have kept tabs on Apple’s iOS 7.1 development, reporting on numerous occasions that the final build should ship in March.
More recent talks with those sources now indicate that the Cupertino giant plans to release it in a matter of weeks, before the end of February.
It’s certainly not set in stone, and although the sources say iOS 7.1 Beta 5 is the last test build to be handed out before the Golden Master (GM) seed, others are reporting some issues with the software. Namely, some AirDrop bugs.
Apple can fix this issue in the GM build, but if more such bugs are discovered, it is likely that the company will be forced to cook up another beta for widespread testing.
iOS 7.1 introduces a new keyboard design, an updated Wallpaper module, tweaks to iTunes Radio, a new event list view in the Calendar app, and other stuff.
Siri gets natural sounding voices for English (Australia), English (United Kingdom), Japanese, and Chinese (Mandarin – China).
iOS 7.1 Beta 5 comes with higher-quality International Siri voices and a small tweak to the Shift and Caps keys for the virtual keyboard, according to those who’ve tested the software.
Developers enrolled with Apple can immediately download the new beta from the iOS Dev Center by logging in with their credentials.
Supported devices include iPhone 4 and newer, iPad 2 and newer, and iPod touch (fifth-generation). New Apple TV Software and Xcode 5.1 betas are also available for download.
Apple TV betas are provided for developers looking to test AirPlay functionality in their apps.