The term identifies a pre-release version of Apple’s mobile operating system, made available to a select group of users for testing purposes. These individuals, outside of Apple’s internal development team, use the software on their personal devices in real-world conditions to identify and report potential bugs or issues before the official public release. Consider it a trial run to ensure a smoother experience for the general user base when the final version is launched.
This process is important for several reasons. It allows Apple to gather feedback from a wider range of users and device configurations, helping to uncover problems that might not be apparent during internal testing. Early detection and resolution of these issues contribute to improved stability, security, and overall user satisfaction upon general release. Historically, such programs have significantly improved the quality of operating system updates.