Apple on Thursday seeded the seventh beta of an upcoming iOS 10.3 update to developers, just three days after seeding the sixth beta of iOS 10.3 and three months after the release of iOS 10.2, the last major update to the iOS 10 operating system.
iOS 10.3 brings several new outward-facing features along with bug fixes, performance improvements and security enhancements.
A Find My AirPods feature lets you locate a misplaced earbud in the Find My iPhone app. A one-handed floating iPad keyboard was discovered in iOS 10.3 code (try it out yourself!), but it’s unclear whether Apple will expose it to users when the software update launches for public consumption.
A new App Compatibility section in Settings will name and shame legacy apps.
A reworded prompt cautions you that 32-bit apps won’t work with future versions of iOS unless they’re updated, indicating iOS 11 will be 64-bit only.
iOS 10.3 will permit apps to update their icon to convey various states right on the Home screen, without requiring an update. For example, an app could refresh its icon after you upgrade to its full version via the In-App Purchase mechanism.
Other notable changes in iOS 10.3 include:
- Apple File System
- iCloud Analytics opt-in feature
- Redesigned iCloud section, now at the top of the Settings app
- Siri and CarPlay improvements
- Reduce Motion for websites
- Settings toggle to disable in-app ratings and reviews
- Hourly forecast in Maps
- Navigation improvements for Mail’s Conversation View
- Easier typing on Chinese and Japanese keyboards
When iOS 10.3 ships to customers, app makers will be finally able to respond to customer reviews on App Store in a way that is available for everyone to see.
A new toggle in Settings will let you disable in-app prompts asking you to post a review on App Store. This switch will only effect apps that use Apple’s new Reviews API.
Registered developers can download the seventh iOS 10.3 beta from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air with the proper configuration profile installed.