WE’RE DETAILING ALL of the major iOS 13
features here, in case you want wait to get iOS
13 public beta until the next, more stable
version. It remains unfinished software.
The change list for iOS 13 starts with our
favorite feature: Dark Mode. This is the
long-awaited UI tweak to invert those bright
white-screen backgrounds. We’re seeing the
most improvement here in iOS 13 vs iOS 12.
The new QuickPath swipe keyboard is a
big highlight, too, and iPadOS has been split
into its own separate update.
There were a lot of Apple announcements
in June and we’re here to explain iOS 13 in
full. But we’ll start with the iOS 13 release
date schedule and all-important
compatibility list.
IOS 13 RELEASE DATE AND BETA
INFORMATION
JUNE 3: iOS 13 beta 1 and first look at
WWDC 2019
JUNE 17: iOS 13 beta 2 launched for developers
JUNE 24: iOS 13 public beta release date for
adventurous testers
EARLY SEPTEMBER 2019: iOS 13 Golden
Master (final dev beta)
MID-SEPTEMBER 2019: iOS 13 likely to launch
with new 2019 iPhones
The iOS 13 public beta release date was
June 24, even though Apple said it wouldn’t
come out until July. It launched earlier than
promised, but it’s not a giant surprise for us.
Last year’s beta got here on June 25.
What’s the iOS 13 release date schedule?
We’ve mapped out an iOS 13 beta timeline:
developers are on beta 2, testers are on public
beta 1 and the final software is likely coming
inSeptember.
Here’stheiOS 13 timelineasweseeit:
01
iOS 13 developer beta: The iOS 13 beta
2 is available today but restricted to
paid Apple developers. Good news: unlike
iOS 13 beta 1, iOS 12 beta 2 can be installed
over the air (OTA), whereas beta 1 required
Xcode or macOS 10.15 to be installed first. It’s
a bit easier to install, but you should probably
wait for the public beta, which is always more
stable,orupgradetothedevbetaona
non-primarydevice.
02
iOS 13 public beta: Apple’s larger-scale
features test began on June 24. Sure,
Apple said July, but last year the iOS public
beta launched on June 25, and sure enough, it
came early in 2019. It’s the version to
download if you’re curious – it’s often more
refined version of the iOS developer beta,
although it can still be rough, and never
includesallofthefeaturesimplementedin
thefinalversionofthesoftware.
03
iOS 13 golden master: This will be the
final version of the iOS 13 software,
released one week before the final iOS release,
meant for developers and public beta testers.
At this point it’s very stable, and gives
appmakerssevendaystoadapttothe
finalsoftware.
04
The official iOS 13 release date: We’ll
get the new iOS 13 software in its final,
stable form about one week after the next
iPhone launch event, at which we expect to
see what we’re calling (for now) the iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Max and iPhone 11 XR. The date?
Probably mid-September (last year it was
September 17).iOS 13 COMPATIBILIT Y LIST
iOS 13 compatibility requires an iPhone or
iPad from the last four years (depending onthe
device category). That means phones like the
iPhone 6 won’t be getting iOS 13 – if you’vegot
one of those devices you’ll be stuck with iOS
12 forever.
You’ll need an iPhone 6S or later, the iPad
Air 2 or later, and the new iPad mini 4 or later,
or the iPod touch 7th generation. No surprise,
the new iPod Touch 7th gen is the only devices
of its class that gets iOS 13 support.
The iPhone SE fits into an odd category, asit
has iPhone 6 era specs, but came out after the
iPhone 6S. Don’t worry, everyone’s favorite
little iPhone will get iOS 13.DARK MODE
Dark Mode in iOS 13 is going to be system-
wide, meaning it’ll change the hues from bright
white and light grey to black and dark grayon
all supported apps.
It’s a nice feature when you’re using your
iPhone at night and want to avoid bright white
hues shining in your face. It may also save
battery life on the OLED-equipped iPhones,
from the iPhone X onward. Apple didn’t talk
about this at all, but we know that OLED
displays essentially ‘turn off ’ pixels when
rendering blacks.
Turning on iOS 13 Dark Mode can be done
in Control Center inside the Display sliderYOU’LL NEED AN IPHONE 6S
OR LATER, THE IPAD AIR 2
OR LATER, AND THE NEW IPAD
MINI 4 OR LATER, OR THE
IPOD TOUCH 7TH GENER ATION.
NO SURPRISE, THE NEW IPOD
TOUCH 7TH GEN IS THE ONLY
DEVICES OF ITS CLASS TH
AT GETS IOS 13 SUPPORT.You’ll need an iPhone 6S or later, the iPad Air 2 or later, and the new
iPad mini 4 or later, or the iPod touch 7th generation.