Apple today seeded the fourth beta of iOS 8.4 to registered developers for testing purposes, nearly a month after seeding the third iOS 8.4 beta and almost two months after launching the first iOS 8.4 beta. iOS 8.4 has been in testing since mid-April, following the early April release of iOS 8.3. Today's beta is the third that public beta testers have received.
Today's beta update, build 12H4125a, is available as an over-the-air download and through the iOS Developer Center.
iOS 8.4 beta 4's release notes still include a number of lingering issues with the new Music app that will need to be resolved before the software can be released to the public. Problems include an inability to use Siri with iTunes Radio, issues with AirPlay streaming, a lack of station sharing, and more.
iOS 8.4's major feature is an all-new Music app that includes a revamped look, as seen in the walkthrough video below. The Music app's new design shows pictures of artists in the Artists view and it offers a new MiniPlayer with a redesigned look for "Now Playing." There are personalized playlists, global search capabilities that make it easier to search within the Music app, and a streamlined design for the radio feature to bolster music discovery.
iOS 8.4's redesigned Music app comes ahead of the debut of Apple Music, which was introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference yesterday. The upcoming streaming music service is similar to Apple's existing Beats music service, but it's been renamed and deeply integrated into the Music app.
We will see the public release of both the new music service and iOS 8.4 on June 30.
