Apple Releases New Beta iOS 13.6 With News And CarKey Functions

Apple has released a new beta version for iOS 13.6. It now includes the preparation for the Apple CarKey function, which can be used to start and drive many BMW models from 2018 onwards by exchanging a digital key.

Apple has released the third beta version for iOS 13.6 for developers and will soon update the public test program. Of course, the work on this version continues, even if the first beta for iOS 14 is already available. The preview programs are currently running in parallel. The finished update for iOS 13.6 shouldn’t be long in coming, even if there weren’t many beta rounds yet. Now testers are asked to try the new preview.

In addition to the update for iOS, the new betas for iPad OS 13.6, tvOS 13.4.8, macOS 10.15.6, and watchOS 6.2.8 are already available for testing.

What’s new

The new iOS beta brings a few new functions. In addition to an audio feature for the Apple News app available in the USA, this also includes the CarKey option, with which BMW drivers can pass on their keys digitally. In addition, the possibility of automatically allowing iOS updates via the settings was already presented in one of the previous beta versions. Then new updates are automatically downloaded on the one hand and installed automatically on the other.

iOS 13.6 brings a few improvements to the Health app. Users can now manually enter symptoms such as cough, headache, or body aches. Each of the symptoms then has additional severity points in the app. Third-party apps will be able to incorporate them as well as other health metrics.

As of now, the update is available via the known methods: Registered beta testers can obtain the update most easily via the auto-update function. Alternatively, you can initiate the update yourself. To do this, look for an available update via Settings / General / Software update.

How to take part in the beta program

Unlike the public test program, the developer program is chargeable. To participate in the public beta program, you only need to register once at beta.apple.com/sp/en/betaprogram from the relevant device. This also applies to all beta versions that Apple is testing, i.e. for iPhone, iPad, Watch, Mac, and Apple TV. To do this, users must enter their Apple ID and then receive the update automatically via the update function. New versions are then also automatically added to the device.