Apple Cracks Down On Free iOS 17 Beta Installation: Removes Profiles Making It Harder To Install

Apple is getting ready to prevent people who shouldn’t install iOS 17 from getting their hands on it, according to a new report based on the first iOS 16.4 beta.

The iOS 16.4 beta was made available to developers last week and a new menu has been discovered that changes the way betas are installed.

Currently, iOS developers can install the developer betas only after installing the correct developer beta profile from Apple’s website. With iOS 16.4 and more importantly iOS 17, that looks set to change.

With the iOS 16.4 beta installed, MacRumors reports that a new menu has been added that allows people to choose which version to install.

The menu will only appear if a user’s iPhone is signed into the same Apple ID they used to enroll in Apple’s Developer Program. In future iOS releases, Apple says this menu will be the only way to enable developer betas, as profiles will stop working.

Once developer profiles are no longer available the only way for people to get their hands on the betas will be to become a registered developer — something that currently costs $99 per month.

Developer beta profiles were often available for download online, giving non-developers access to early betas. This move appears set to prevent that from happening.

Apple is expected to announce the iOS 17 update this June during the WWDC event, with a release to the public likely to happen in September.

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