iOS 11.2.5 Beta 5 Released for iPhones with Under-the-Hood Improvements Only

Apple released the fifth build of their iOS 11.2.5 beta software on Thursday to developers and public beta testers, just two days after the fourth beta. This quick beta release schedule may mean iOS 11.2.5 is almost ready for primetime.

You can download the update right now if you're a developer or public beta tester with a valid configuration profile. Go to "General" in your Settings app, then tap on "Software Update." Then, just follow the on-screen instructions to download and install iOS 11.2.5 beta 5 onto your iPhone.

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This fifth beta follows closely behind iOS 11.2.2, which was rushed out to patch the Spectre portion of the chip flaws heavily reported last week. It's possible this beta also added protection against Spectre. Apple claims the Meltdown vulnerability was addressed in iOS 11.2.

Beta 5 does not appear to include any major additions to the 11.2.5 suite of updates. Beta 4 was released in a similar fashion, except for its reversal of iOS 11.2.5 beta 3's louder sounds. We'll keep looking for new features in the fifth beta, but as of right now, it appears to be only minor bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements.

Overall, iOS 11.2.5 so far seems to be a mild update. The only surface-level change so far implements a persistent "Now Playing" window at the bottom of the Music app. This feature should be useful for controlling music playback in the app, even if nothing is currently playing. AirPlay 2 has shown some signs, but won't likely appear in full swing until HomePod is released.

There is no indication thus far as to why the fourth and fifth 11.2.5 betas were released so close together, though it likely means it's near to be complete and pushed out to everyone. More updates are welcome, as Apple currently experiences one scandal after another. The latest bug we've seen involves iMessages sorting themselves out of order. Perhaps we'll see this problem fixed in this new beta, or, if not, hopefully in one soon to come.

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Cover image and screenshots by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks