Unofficial iOS 16 beta websites taken offline
The websites have found an unofficial way to install the latest betas. This mainly concerns the iOS 16 beta, which many users are interested in. One of the most well-known sites, BetaProfiles.com, released a statement last Wednesday that the site would be “going offline soon”. to a “legal battle with Apple” to prevent. BetaProfiles.com has confirmed that it has received a letter from one of Apple's law firms and has been ordered to shut down.
BetaProfiles.com is no longer online. The website IPSW.dev has also been taken offline, although it is unclear whether this was done as a precaution, or whether they also received a registered letter. The Apple Firmwares website can still be visited.
But Apple is taking even more steps: Law firm Kilpatrick Townsend Stockton LLP has ordered Twitter to take tweets about such websites offline. Sometimes the twitterer's account is temporarily blocked.
Hi everyone, I just wanted to say that BetaProfiles will be shutting down soon, I just don't want to get into a legal battle with Apple. BetaProfiles social media will remain as a place to discuss beta updates. Thanks guys so much ❤️
— Beta Profiles (@BetaProfiles) August 10, 2022
Such sites infringe Apple's software. The developer beta software is owned by Apple and may only be installed if you agree to certain terms. One of them is that you don't share it with others. You must pay €99 per year to be a member of the Apple Developer Program and purchase the right to install beta software.
By downloading the software from other sites, you are not only evading the payment, but also the conditions to use the software. Today, Apple is making it a lot easier for regular users to try betas too, thanks to public betas that are exactly the same in features and content. These are free and the only drawback is that you have to be patient. With current iOS 16 betas, the public beta usually comes a day later. The longer the beta runs, the public beta often comes the same day.
If you want to legally install betas, you have two options: join the public beta program or register as a developer.
Before it was much more difficult to install beta software. to install. You had to download it from the Apple Developer website and it was linked to the unique number (UDID) of your device. Since iOS 9, Apple has been offering public betas and you can now update Over The Air (OTA), so you don't have to log in to Apple anymore.