iPadOS & iOS 14 Beta 8 Available to Download
iOS 14 beta 8 and iPadOS 14 beta 8 have been released for users enrolled in the developer beta and public beta programs.
Separately, new beta versions of watchOS 7 and tvOS 14 are available as well.
iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 include various new features including bringing widgets to the home screen of iPhone, an App Library feature for improved app management, new features in Messages, improvements to Safari, instant language translation capabilities, along with many other smaller features and adjustments to the operating systems.
How to Download iOS 14 Beta 8 & iPadOS 14 Beta 8
It’s important to backup iPhone or iPad to iCloud, iTunes, or Finder before installing any system software updates.
- Open the “Settings” app on the device
- Go to “General”
- Choose “Software Update”
- Select “Download and Install” when “iOS 14 beta 8” or “iPadOS 14 beta 8” is available to update
The latest beta update is reasonably small if you’re coming from the immediately prior release, and should therefore download quickly. Installing any system software update will require the device to reboot to complete installation.
Beta system software versions are less reliable than final versions, and therefore running beta builds is really only appropriate for advanced users. Nonetheless, many people are curious about the upcoming versions of system software, and the public beta is aimed at more advanced users who’d like to experiment with iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 before they are released to the general public.
Interested users can install iOS 14 public beta on iPhone and install iPadOS 14 public beta on iPad if they’re comfortable with the risks associated with running beta system software. It is strongly advised to only run beta system software on secondary hardware that is not mission critical.
The final versions of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 will be released in the fall, likely alongside the other beta operating systems under active development, including macOS Big Sur, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14.
The most recent release of stable final versions of system software for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch are currently iOS 13.7 and iPadOS 13.7.
I think iPad OS is more directed at the upper end models of the iPad then the base iPad. I have not been that impressed with a lot of features in iPad OS 13 running on a base iPad 7th gen. Lack of RAM seems to be the biggest problem with the base model. I still basically use my iPad the same way I did back when the first iPad came out. Media consumption, email, and web surfacing with a handful of useful apps as well. The screen size prevents any useful advantage to split screens or any sort of multi tasking. I doubt iPad OS 14 will be much different.