Apple will soon block users from installing iOS developer builds for free

The company is planning to do away with the profiling method and adopt a new management system to ensure that those who are not part of the developer program will not be able to obtain new builds.

At the moment, installing the developer build of iOS is generally a pretty compelling experience, especially for advanced users who don't want to wait any longer to experience the improvements. The latest advancement that Apple is making.

Usually, Apple also releases public betas of the same build, usually a few days or a week later, but some users rush to install developer builds to pass the time. wait.

According to Apple's new policy, if you want to be part of the developer community, you need to pay to get access to the Apple Developer Program. The price is $99/year, and you'll get a host of premium features and perks, including the option to install developer betas of new iOS versions.

After iOS 17 reaches beta later this year, Apple will abandon the profile-based distribution method and integrate the new Beta Updates section in the Software Update screen on iPhones. The new menu will be visible to users signed in with the same Apple ID account used for the developer program.

This means that Apple will perform server-side verification, so only devices using a developer account will be offered the latest iOS beta build. Of course the public betas will continue to be free, but they will only appear a few days after the developer builds are released.

Jessica Tanner

Update 28 February 2023