【1986 Archives】

iOS 17.5 beta 2 has rolled out to users registered to the Apple Developer Program986 Archives allowing them to test a gaggle of new features.

iOS 17.5, reportedly weeks away from an official release, is set to be the fifth significant update since Apple officially dropped iOS 17 in September (alongside the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models). Curious about the new perks you can explore with iOS 17.5 beta 2? Here are the top five features in the new version.

SEE ALSO: iOS 18 rumors: Everything we know about the next big iPhone update

iOS 17.5 beta 2: 5 new features

The new features include an update that complies with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), allowing users in the European Union to download and install apps from certain third-party websites, but there are other perks that may interest the wider public.

---

You May Also Like

---

---

New Apple News+ game

Reserved for users with an Apple News+ subscription, iOS 17.5 beta 2 now has a new game called "Quartiles." The game requires users to combine tiles to create words.

News can be fun, too. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

For example, according to a screenshot from MacRumors, you can combine the following four tiles — "art," "ist," "ic," and "ally" — to make the word "artistically."

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Expanded sideloading

iPhone users within the EU are now capable of downloading apps from directlyfrom Apple app developers' websites sans using the Apple App Store (or a third-party app marketplace). iOS 17.4 introduced sideloading to EU users, but with iOS 17.5 beta 2, there's now a new way to download apps. The functionality is not yet available for iPad users.

'Palestinian flag' emoji fix

As we reported last week, Apple said it was releasing a fix for a bug that caused the Palestinian flag to appear when some users typed the word "Jersualem."

Only some users reported seeing the Palestinian flag after typing "Jerusalem." Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

With iOS 17.5 beta 2, it looks like the Cupertino-based tech giant followed through with its promise. No emojis populate when the word is typed in the Messages app.

New 'Tip' for Notes app

Under iOS 17.5 beta 2, a new "Tip" banner appears on the bottom of the Notes app, allowing users to get a better understanding on how to organize their notes by tags, checklists, and more.

New 'Reading Goals' indicator in Apple Books

In the Apple Books app, iOS 17.5 beta 2 added a tiny new symbol on the upper-right corner. Once you tap it, it will bring you to your Reading Goals page.

The Apple Books app got a new indicator. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The official iOS 17.5 wide public rollout is expected to be some time in early May, perhaps alongside the oft-rumored iPad Air and iPad Pro launch.

Topics iOS iPhone

• Deals
• Life
• Digital Culture
• Social Good
• Science
• Games
• Shopping
• Entertainment

• Episode 4: The Wave of the Future
• Beyoncé reveals the covers of her mysterious 'Vogue' September issue
• Spotify bans some Alex Jones episodes, but some say it's not enough
• Seven adorable puppies rescued from an uninhabited island in Canada
• Episode 4: The Wave of the Future
• Thieves tried to kidnap a shark by disguising it as a baby
• Prince Harry's former car can be yours for a mere £71K
• Cryptocurrency donors to Ukraine wanted to profit from contribution
• Apple is actively looking at AI search for Safari
• Lizzo's ‘Watch Out for the Big Grrrls’ is truly joyful reality TV

• Tinder: Are two
• I, a Novelist: An Interview with Halle Butler by Patrick Cottrell
• Whiting Awards 2019: Kayleb Rae Candrilli, Poetry
• How to watch 'GTA 6' trailer
• Whiting Awards 2019: Nafissa Thompson
• NYT's The Mini crossword answers for December 3
• How I Began to Write by Gabriel García Márquez
• ‘The Left Hand of Darkness’ at Fifty
• Foot fetishes explained: everything you need to know
• Whiting Awards 2019: Tyree Daye, Poetry

• Best Sony headphones deal: Over $100 off Sony XM5 headphones
• 'Wordle' today: Here's the answer for March 28
• College student learns how a hole got in her ceiling and it’s hot dogs
• Will Smith has apologized to Chris Rock for slapping him at the Oscars
• Best portable power station deal: Save 44% on the Jackery Explorer 100 v2
• YouTube added 1,500 free movies, but good luck finding them
• Beyoncé reveals the covers of her mysterious 'Vogue' September issue
• Sorry, Jeff Bezos is not a 'style icon'
• Watch how an old Venus spacecraft tumbled before crashing to Earth
• Sorry, Jeff Bezos is not a 'style icon'

• Best IPL deal: Save $80 on Braun IPL Silk·Expert
• 'Wordle' today: Here's the answer for March 29
• A text message from myself? Here's what to do about those Verizon spam texts.
• This deer 'doing laps' in a pool is peak summer fitness motivation
• 'The Last of Us' Season 2, episode 4: Why Ellie sings 'Take on Me'
• NBC's Katy Tur confronts Trump over press: 'Do you have to put our lives in danger?'
• How to change your iPhone Emergency SOS settings
• Teen absolutely mortified by dancing adults on jumbotron
• Fyre Festival and Trump’s Language
• New Dictionary.com update covers accessibility, climate change, and digital culture