iOS 7.1 Beta 1 Released to Developers

Apple has released the first iOS 7.1 beta to registered developers. The build arrives as 11D5099e, and is available for iPad Air, iPad Mini Retina, iPad 4, iPad 3, iPad 2, iPad mini 1, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 4. The 5th gen iPod touch is the only supported iPod model. The iOS Dev Center labels the firmware downloads as model numbers, if uncertain, you can find out what model your device is by looking at the identification number located on the back of the device. Separately, the Apple TV also received a new beta build for developer testing.

Being the first beta build would suggest a public release of iOS 7.1 is not imminent, and could be weeks or over a month before regular users gain access to a wide release. There are high expectations for the iOS 7.1 release, particularly for iPad users who have noticed that iOS 7 continues to feel like a beta release on much of their hardware. This is particularly true on older iPad models, which we recommended to avoid the 7.0 update to preserve stability and performance while Apple works out the remaining bugs.

Last week, Apple released iOS 7.0.4 with a few minor bug fixes. Currently, that version remains the most recent public version available to all users.

Registered developers can access the firmware and download iOS 7.1 beta through the Apple Developer Center. It is recommended to install beta releases only on nonessential development devices, due to the buggy and inconsistent nature of developer builds.