Apple Releases iOS 5 Beta 5 to Developers - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Releases iOS 5 Beta 5 to Developers

ios52
In a surprise move, Apple has released iOS 5 Beta 5 (build 9A5288d) to developers on Saturday. Apple typically releases new developer seeds on weekdays. Alongside the iOS 5 beta 5 release is Xcode 4.2 Developer Preview 5, iTunes 10.5 Beta 5 and Apple TV Software beta 4.

iOS 5 Beta 5 is available as an over the air update, but according to the release notes, users must first erase all content and settings by choosing Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Apple recommends backing up your device using iTunes 10.5 Beta 4 or through iCloud prior to installing iOS 5 beta 5, and subsequently restoring. That said, some users have been able to upgrade fine without going through that process.

ios5b5
thanks Elijah

BGR posts the release notes, which details some fixes, but no major new features. We're looking into what other changes may have occurred.

Hearing Aid Mode is said to be new in iOS 5 Beta 5:

hearingaid

Over the air update from Beta 4 to Beta 5 is 128MB.

NatesTechUpdate offers this video which goes over some of the new findings in iOS 5:

Popular Stories

iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Wednesday March 18, 2026 7:39 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another six months or so, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component...
ios 26 4 yellow

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for iOS 26.4

Wednesday March 18, 2026 11:56 am PDT by
Apple provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4, which means we're going to see a public launch as soon as next week. The RC versions of the software include Apple's official release notes, giving us final details on what's included in the update. Apple Music - Playlist Playground (beta) generates a playlist from your...
Apple Logo Sketch Feature

Apple Has Now Unveiled Eight New Products This Month

Tuesday March 17, 2026 9:25 am PDT by
Apple has unveiled a whopping eight new products so far this March, including an iPhone 17e, iPad Air models with the M4 chip, MacBook Air models with the M5 chip, MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the all-new MacBook Neo, an updated Studio Display, a higher-end Studio Display XDR, and now the AirPods Max 2 this week. iPhone 17e features the same overall design as the iPhone...

Top Rated Comments

191 months ago
I agree what's the point of an OTA update if I still have to restore my device?

It's almost as if they are trying to do some sort of "beta testing" with it or something. Crazy Apple!
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PNutts Avatar
191 months ago
OK, well then I guess there's no point on using it them. Will restore the normal way.

I agree what's the point of an OTA update if I still have to restore my device?

The term "beta tester" has sure changed a lot from when I used to do it.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
191 months ago
Camera+ (http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/id329670577?mt=8) and Mashable! (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mashable/id356202138?mt=8) have both been accepted with unofficial support for iOS 5..... the update log on iTunes page has since changed

original details can be found here: http://www.cultofmac.com/apple-already-approving-app-updates-for-ios-5-%E2%80%94-launch-next-month/107598

There is a difference between being compatible with iOS 5 and having features that require iOS 5. I am the developer of an app that does not run at all on iOS 5 at the moment. However, I can fix the problem and make it work on (a.k.a. be compatible with) iOS 5 without ever touching the iOS 5 SDK. I can submit that update today. The thing I can't do is submit an update that uses an API that is only found in iOS 5. These apps that have updated for compatibility with iOS 5 are doing the former: fixing issues with running on iOS 5 using the iOS 4 SDK.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
saving107 Avatar
191 months ago
Apple: Please don't forget us lowly mac users and try to release iLion 10.7.1 before 2012. :confused:
What's an iLion?

Are your talking about OS X Lion?

Mac OS 10.7.2 released to developers...
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1196198

Apple has not yet made any mention of 10.7.1. OS X Lion was just released last week, and we expect that 10.7.1 will be delivered shortly as an initial bug fix to customers.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
191 months ago
I agree what's the point of an OTA update if I still have to restore my device?

It's a beta. The only officially supported OTA updated with be starting with future versions of iOS 5.0 onward. They don't really care about bugs that only arise from 5.0 beta 4 -> 5.0 beta 5.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
191 months ago
how do I get this thing installed without paying the $99 registration or whatever fee?? Any hacks?
You should definitely have googled that before asking it here. Prepare yourself for the onslaught of "You have NO BUSINESS downloading a beta if you have to ask this, NON-DEV" douchebagery.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Related Apple News: Iphone | News | Sport | Ipad | Business