Apple releases iOS 16.6 beta update in preparation for WWDC 2023: Here's what's new
Delhi : Apple has released the first beta of iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 for developers ahead of the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month. This newest beta release adds numerous new features, including iMessage Contact Key Verification, to improve Apple users' security.
While it is unknown whether the iMessage Contact Key Verification functionality is completely working in the initial beta version, a setting for iMessage Contact Key Verification is now visible in the Settings app, according to MacRumors. iMessage Contact Key was created primarily to safeguard Apple users from serious digital threats. According to the paper, it is meant for persons such as journalists, human rights advocates, and government officials who are vulnerable to hostile digital assaults, particularly from state-sponsored attackers or other bad actors.
The goal of iMessage Contact Key Verification is to ensure that Apple device users are speaking with the intended recipients and not with a hostile party intercepting or eavesdropping on their discussions. If both participants have activated iMessage Contact Key Verification, Apple will issue a warning if the cloud servers are accessed, indicating a potential break in the security of the discussion. Users may also confirm their identity and the legitimacy of their connections by comparing a Contact Verification Code in person, over FaceTime, or through another secure app.
Apple previously said that iMessage Contact Key Verification will be available on iPhones and other Apple devices in 2023. It is said to be one of the final improvements that will be included in iOS 16. This feature was first revealed with Security Keys for Apple ID, which became accessible in iOS 16.3, further increasing Apple's ecosystem's overall security. As Apple continues to prioritise user privacy and security, the iOS 16.6 beta update allows developers to explore and test these new capabilities before they are made available to the general public.
