Brad Moon, writing for Forbes:
With Apple’s September iPhone event –and the official release of its latest operating systems– just days away, Apple continues pushing out public betas of iOS 11. A lot of people are downloading this software and loading it on their iPhones. But why?
When you install the iOS 11 public beta, you are essentially testing the software for Apple. Using your own hardware, apps and data. For free.
You don’t even get a tee shirt. Apple spikes this point out on the website for its Beta Software Program: “This program is voluntary, and there is no compensation for your participation.”
Because getting early access to upcoming software can only be a bad thing?
Heck, even by the time the company puts out the official annual iOS release in September, there are usually significant bugs still remaining. That’s why I wait for the first revision to be released before installing it on my devices.
It simply sounds like he’s had a bad experience, and that should apparently affect you too.
He goes on to point out a few sections of the beta agreement, which he has to expand on further that they “even use all caps”. The agreement states that the devices may not be able to be restored after using beta software, Apple will not be liable to any problems with using the software, and general stuff that you’d expect.
It’s not a final piece of software, and like all their public betas (which come after the more buggy developer betas), they are to be used at your own risk. And completely optional!
I just don’t see the issue. But I think his trust issues go further than the stability of the actual software:
If you have a spare iPhone or iPad lying around and you’re curious about the direction Apple is going, that’s also fair game, although not risk-free (and you’re still working for free for a company that made a profit in excess of $45 billion in 2016).
Contributing to beta testing, to help make the software and overall experience better can only be a bad thing. Especially when you don’t even get a t-shirt.