Public Beta releases
Apple has officially released the first public betas for each of its major platforms including:
- iOS 16 Public Beta 1
- iPadOS 16 Public Beta 1
- macOS Ventura Public Beta 1
- watchOS 0 Public Beta 1
- tvOS Public Beta 1
- HomePod Software 16 Public Beta 1
While these releases share similar if not the same build numbers as their Developer Beta 3 counterparts, they are still very early releases. Users should exercise caution before installing them on primary devices.
While many significant bugs have now been addressed, there are countless known issues outstanding. Furthermore, third-party apps will not be updated for compatibility until a final release later this year. Expect to encounter crashes, glitches and various unforeseen issues until then.
For those wanting to update to the public betas, where available you should consider creating an archived backup. In the case of the Apple Watch and HomePod, unfortunately, there isn’t a way to roll the software back if you encounter issues. At least not without sending the device to Apple for service.
Feel free to vote in the poll below and let us know if you intend to update your device to the public beta of iOS 16. The poll closes at 6.38 pm GMT on 12/07/22.
Mac Sales continue to outshine the PC
Apple’s investment in its custom silicon continues to pay dividends. Shipments of the Mac grew by an impressive 9.3% in the second quarter of 2022. Apple also gained market share, rising from 7.1% market share a year ago, up to 8.8% this year.
All other major vendors saw sales shrink, with only Apple enjoying any growth at all. However, at 8.8%, Apple sits in fourth place for global market share. Second place and Third place Dell and HP enjoy a little over 18% market share respectively. Apple has some way to go to overtake their shipments. That being said, HP’s business shrunk by 27.5% compared to the year-ago quarter, with an almost 4% drop in market share.
It’s worth noting that Gartner’s estimates do not include the iPad. But do include other premium tablet devices such as the Microsoft Surface. Apple’s share would be an order of magnitude higher if iPad sales were included in these figures.
The AppleTLDR take
It’s great to see the Mac continue to grow. Apple Silicon is attracting both new and returning customers to the platform and developers are taking note. That can only be a good thing for consumers. And while these figures may not tell the whole story, for instance, the impact of the chip shortage can’t be overlooked, they do give us some indicator of consumer demand.