Apple rolls-out iOS 13.1 beta, even before iOS 13's launch
What's the story
Just days from now, on September 10, Apple will announce its latest iPhone 11 models.
The flagships are likely to come with a bunch of upgrades including new cameras and chipset but (perhaps) excluding iOS 13, the company's latest mobile software.
Reason? Well, Apple released iOS 13.1 beta, even before iOS 13 has been publicly rolled out.
Here's all about this rather strange development.
Possibilities
iOS 13.1 beta before iOS 13. But why?
There are two possible reasons to understand Apple's unusual move of releasing iOS 13.1 beta.
Perhaps, iOS 13 is ready for release and Apple is already ironing out the next update. Or, as usual, the offerings of iOS 13 aren't perfect yet. In that case, the company is buying more time, planning to get feedback from real users and taking some pressure off it.
Update
So, what's new in iOS 13.1?
According to its long and detailed changelog, the new OS version has a bunch of new features and improvements ranging across topics like Audio, Images, Health, iCloud, Mail, Networking and more.
The iOS 13.1 beta also brings some features that were initially available in iOS 13 but removed later, such as shortcuts automation, ETA functionality in Apple Maps, and AirPods audio sharing.
New hardware
Meanwhile, here's what to expect from the upcoming iPhones
Meanwhile, iPhone 11-series will run on A13 Bionic chipset and feature the same metal-glass sandwiched design we've seen on the 2018 line-up.
The notch displays of the higher-end models will be OLED, while the successor to Xr will sport an LCD display.
The rear side of the phones will have a square-ish module that'll house dual or triple camera lenses, depending on the model.
Naming
iPhone 11 may come with a "Pro" moniker
Alongside the hardware and software changes, Apple is likely to introduce a new naming scheme of the upcoming iPhones.
A recent report citing leaked documents indicates that the company might name the successor to iPhone Xr as iPhone 11.
Further, the upgrades to the more premium iPhone Xs and Xs Max could be called iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, respectively.