5 Reasons to Try the iOS 8 Beta Right Now

The iOS 8 beta is available for users that want to try out all the new iOS 8 features Apple announced without waiting for the fall release date.

We shared how to get the iOS 8 beta right now, which outlined the steps to install the beta, where to find iOS 8 beta downloads and what you need to know before you install it. It is an easy process to follow, and something most users can do in about an hour.

Adam Mills offers up reasons to skip the iOS 8 beta including poor battery life, apps that won’t work right and other valid things that users need to consider before jumping in to the iOS 8 beta.

Read: 51 iOS 8 Features You’ll Use

While these reasons are important, there are also a number of reasons to try the iOS 8 beta. This article outlines why you should take the plunge and install the iOS 8 beta.

For many users it makes sense to wait for the iOS 8 beta 2 to arrive, which could happen in the next two to four weeks as Apple works to fix bugs, add features and work on the overall release. Apple will likely move through half a dozen betas before a public iOS 8 release this week.

You Are a Developer or IT Admin

If you make apps for the iPhone, iPad or Mac, you should install this on a test device to see what all iOS 8 has to offer. This is incredibly obvious, but it is worth mentioning.

Developers are the only official users allowed to try iOS 8 early and it is available to them so they can test apps and test iOS 8 to make sure their products work right at the release this fall.

Even if you normally program for Mac, it may be worthwhile to check out the iOS 8 beta and the OS X Yosemite Beta since they work together closer this year.

Another user that may want to try this is an IT administrator who will need to support iOS 8 this fall on company devices. There may be less of a need to get on the first iOS 8 beta, but it will prove beneficial especially with the new enterprise features.

You Don’t Mind Bugs

If you like to live with the newest technology and don’t mind any issues that pop up from using an iOS 8 beta, then go for it. You will have the opportunity to use new features and poke around in iOS 8 well ahead of the public release this fall.

You will need to be OK using a phone that doesn’t always work. Many popular apps are not fully functional on iOS 8, because it is a beta.

You should also invest in an extra lightning cable or a battery case since that will be an essential accessory while you are on the iOS 8 beta.

You Can’t Wait for iOS 8 Features

Are you excited by the 51 iOS 8 features we shared? Are you too excited to wait for the iOS 8 release this fall to get your hands on Family Share, Continuity, Instant Hotspot, Better Group Messages, Mail enhancements, a new Keyboard and more you should give the iOS 8 beta a try.

Apple did not announce all the iOS 8 features, but they did share a large number of things you can do in iOS 8. For users that love to try the latest and greatest, the beta is something for you.

You Have a Spare Device

The best way to use the iOS 8 beta is on a device that is not your main iPhone or iPad. If you have an iPod touch or a spare iPad this may be the best device to use iOS 8 on for now.

There are always issues, and even users who are OK with bugs should consider putting the iOS 8 beta on a test device instead of on their main phone.

You Can Be a Responsible iOS 8 Beta User

If you can be a responsible iOS 8 beta user, then please join the large number of users that are testing the iOS 8 beta ahead of the public release.

The biggest thing is to avoid leaving app reviews when apps don’t work. This is a beta and things will not work. If you can’t understand that, you should not be using the beta at all.

If you find bugs, you should file a bug report with Apple. The iOS 8 beta includes an app to report bugs to Apple so they are fixed. If you join the beta consider doing this to make iOS 8 better.

Read: What iOS 8 Tells Us About the iPhone 6

Overall there are a number of reasons to try the iOS 8 beta. For many users that simply want to try the new features it is a good idea to wait for the iOS 8 beta 2 or beta 3, which normally offer a more stable experience.