First public beta of iOS 9.1 released, to support Unicode 8 and have wider range of emojis
Following the big media event, Apple on Thursday released the first public beta of iOS 9.1 and made available the next version of the mobile operating system to public beta users. The company has allowed the public to get an early sneak preview of the features like expanded Unicode 8 support.
The release is identical to developer code seeded on Wednesday. To download the public beta, you will have to sign up as a public beta tester with Apple’s Beta Software Program for iOS and OS X. Along with some new emoji, the build includes APIs for 3D Touch and Live Photos so the developers can get busy building apps that support those features.
So, what’s in the new beta? According to MacRumors, iOS 9.1 “includes features for the iPad Pro, adding support for accessories like the Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil, both of which were designed for the larger-screened tablet” and “also includes support for Unicode 8, introducing a selection of new emoji like taco, burrito, unicorn face, hot dog, popcorn, turkey, cheese wedge, and more.”
To download the new build, which includes support for new emoji characters, users need go to the Apple Beta website and register their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. After a reboot, iOS 9.1 should show up under the Software Update tab in the Settings app.
So, if you really want to try out some cool new emoji, you should check the beta out. On the other hand, iPad users may be displeased, as they will be able to support two iPad Pro accessories that have not even been released yet.
iOS 9.1 is also expected to be the default install on the iPad Pro, as in August, analytics firm Appsee tracked a device with the operating system that also corresponded with the tablet’s resolution. In other words, this would mean that 9.1 will have an eye for bigger screens, the Smart Connector and Apple Pencil peripherals like the Smart Keyboard. If we go by this, then the update should reach all iOS users no later than the Pro’s November launch.
Apple will release iOS 9 on September 16, which is this year’s major release of the company’s operating system. That update is expected to make several additions, such as various levels of multitasking for iPads, and context-sensitive search and Siri functions. However, only the iPad Pro, Air 2, and Mini 4 will support two apps that would run simultaneously.
