Apple rolls out 4th iOS 17.5 developer and public beta

Apple continues to apply changes according to Europe’s Digital Market Act (DMA), forcing the company to open more doors to this proprietary operating system.

The company has already open-sourced many developer-friendly APIs. That includes the new third-party app store access to install apps outside the App Store. Developers can also offer in-app purchases outside of Apple’s own IAP system.

iPhone users across the EU can now switch browsers more efficiently and organizations can access NFC for contactless payment. With recent iOS 17.5 betas, the company is releasing some new optimizations such as the capability to sideload apps directly from the app developer’s website. However, it requires apps to go through certain checks in order to publish the app on the developer’s server.

These changes are available for developers who distribute apps from 27 EU member countries. For years, Apple has been keeping iOS and other software closed-source in the name of privacy and security. EU on the other hand, says this stand affects interoperability. Despite complying with the EU, Apple says new changes will increase risks to iPhone users and the app ecosystem.

The Cupertino-based company argues that opening the app ecosystem would bring malware, fraud, and scams to users’ iPhones.

iOS 17.5 4th Beta:

Now the company is seeding 4th developer and public beta of iOS 17.5 and it is available for download for respective testers. Despite being a new release, there’s no information available about the changes It brings on board. However, the new release comes within a week of the third beta rollout.

Interesting users can download the new iOS 17.5 beta 4 via Settings > General > Software update and select the preferred beta channel.