Apple has recently unveiled the third betas of iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 to developers for the purpose of comprehensive testing. These updates follow the release of the second betas at a two-week interval.
Developers who are registered can participate in the betas by navigating to the Settings app, selecting Software Update, and enabling the “Beta Updates” option. To download and install the beta versions, an Apple ID linked to a developer account is necessary.
The primary focus of iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 is the implementation of iMessage Contact Key Verification. This feature aims to provide Apple users with a means of verifying the authenticity of their intended messaging recipients, protecting them from potential interception of messages or eavesdropping during conversations by malicious entities.
iMessage Contact Key Verification has been specifically designed for individuals who face significant digital threats, such as journalists, human rights activists, government officials, and other individuals targeted by state-sponsored attackers or other malevolent actors.
Apple has announced that iMessage Contact Key Verification will become available on iPhones and other Apple devices in 2023, representing one of the final features anticipated for inclusion in iOS 16. Clues regarding this feature were present in the initial two betas, but the functionality was not fully enabled at that time.