Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

atlchamp

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jun 19, 2012
2,056
1,247
Atlanta
you get it. You use it. You usually always find bugs. Some minor some major. You end up going back to a non beta. Then you have to start from scratch again because you can't use a backup that is from a newer iOS. Beta's are headaches more than anything if you aren't a developer. I've learned my lesson and hope people who consider installing them for non development purposes follow suit. Rant over haha
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
Everyone can have a different experience. People also have backups from before installing a beta and in many instances can downgrade without resorting and basically starting over if that's what they want. But sure plenty stay away from betas just to avoid any potential hassles.
 

Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
Backup before you push the button. Really isn't that hard.

The only time it was a little painful was when they were migrating apples apps to iCloud and you couldn't go back. Well you could but you'd lose access to the documents.
 

atlchamp

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jun 19, 2012
2,056
1,247
Atlanta
I backed up but you have so many new texts and apps and settings that it's weird just restoring back to a point where you are looking at texts that are 3-4 months old
 
  • Like
Reactions: XTheLancerX

stooovie

macrumors 6502a
Nov 21, 2010
836
314
What OP said. I'm beginning to attempt to extend this to a x.0 releases as well, especially on Mac. I still have yearly major updates, just offset by three-five months so I can get the X.2 or so.
 

maxsix

Suspended
Jun 28, 2015
3,100
3,731
Western Hemisphere
Backup before you push the button. Really isn't that hard.
As easy as it is to maintain a solid reliable multiple copy backup routine, I'm still amazed how millions and millions of people choose not to. Or sure, there's a bit of setup involved. But it could also be said that any tech device requires setup time. At the end of the day, nothing is more valuable for saving time, money and your files like a good current backup.
 

Abazigal

Contributor
Jul 18, 2011
20,395
23,898
Singapore
I think some people still have this misconception that a beta is somehow early access to a software update that is more or less ready for primetime, then freak out when it results in poor performance on their Apple devices, and when it proves more troublesome to restore the device than they anticipated.

Problem is - many of the new features can't be accessed without developer support (which won't happen until iOS is officially released), not to mention it might break existing apps, so you are accepting a lot of instability for a few minor software features at best. Heck, at this point, you may as well just jailbreak your device if it is more features you want.
 

throAU

macrumors G3
Feb 13, 2012
9,205
7,360
Perth, Western Australia
you get it. You use it. You usually always find bugs. Some minor some major. You end up going back to a non beta. Then you have to start from scratch again because you can't use a backup that is from a newer iOS. Beta's are headaches more than anything if you aren't a developer. I've learned my lesson and hope people who consider installing them for non development purposes follow suit. Rant over haha

Yup. those warnings about betas aren't for nothing.

Sure you might be able to live with it but if you care about stability and actually use your gear to get stuff done then Beta is more risky than production software and as you say you can't restore a backup from a newer version into an older version...
 

atlchamp

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jun 19, 2012
2,056
1,247
Atlanta
This is clearly someone with no experience when it comes to beta. Actually apple tells you to make an iTunes backup, and archive it for later downgrading
actually I had an iTunes back up but if you read my post, all the activity you do while on the back up can't be put back on a lower iOS version. you just have to use that older backup and see texts that could be weeks or months old and app activity that hasn't registered. I wish apple would let you use any backup on ANY iOS you choose
 

asv56kx3088

macrumors 6502
Jun 24, 2013
340
275
actually I had an iTunes back up but if you read my post, all the activity you do while on the back up can't be put back on a lower iOS version. you just have to use that older backup and see texts that could be weeks or months old and app activity that hasn't registered. I wish apple would let you use any backup on ANY iOS you choose
That's why we should never install beta software on a primary device.
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
I backed up but you have so many new texts and apps and settings that it's weird just restoring back to a point where you are looking at texts that are 3-4 months old

actually I had an iTunes back up but if you read my post, all the activity you do while on the back up can't be put back on a lower iOS version. you just have to use that older backup and see texts that could be weeks or months old and app activity that hasn't registered. I wish apple would let you use any backup on ANY iOS you choose
The backup is made right before upgrading to beta so that it's compatible with whatever version you would downgrade to if you wanted to downgrade. What beta are you using that your last non-backup is months old?
 

atlchamp

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jun 19, 2012
2,056
1,247
Atlanta
The backup is made right before upgrading to beta so that it's compatible with whatever version you would downgrade to if you wanted to downgrade. What beta are you using that your last non-backup is months old?
If I were to do a back up on iOS 9 .2 .1 today and then use 9.3 beta for four months and then downgrade back to 9.2.1 then any text messages and activity for those four months are totally gone. What are you guys not understanding about that
 
  • Like
Reactions: throAU

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
If I were to do a back up on iOS 9 .2 .1 today and then use 9.3 beta for four months and then downgrade back to 9.2.1 then any text messages and activity for those four months are totally gone. What are you guys not understanding about that
Why would you be on beta for four months? By that point 9.3 would already be out as a released version?
 
  • Like
Reactions: dmnc and ohio.emt

atlchamp

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jun 19, 2012
2,056
1,247
Atlanta
Why would you be on beta for four months? By that point 9.3 would already be out as a released version?
It was an example with exaggeration since you can't comprehend that let's just say it's two months
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
It was an example with exaggeration since you can't comprehend that let's just say it's two months
It's not that I couldn't comprehend, it's just that the situation you were describing wasn't much of a realistic one. There is a difference between months or a month or two for most people.

That said, all of that is known, or should be known to someone that decides to go with a beta, so that person makes a decision accounting for all of that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dmnc and ohio.emt

XTheLancerX

macrumors 68000
Aug 20, 2014
1,911
782
NY, USA
I'm fine with the issues, for some reason while I'm running the beta I find satisfaction in finding the issues, reporting them, and watching things improve with every release. Almost like I'm contributing. I like getting the features early, but also giving feedback to help them mature for when they go to the public. I haven't had any significant issues, just minor annoyances. However when a major issue does crop up, I don't have a problem with restoring as new. I do that once every few months anyway.

The only thing that's annoying is being on the beta train almost constantly. Every so often I need a break, and I get tired of that feeling of my nightly iCloud backups sort of getting stuffed with buggy beta crap. That's just when I reset as new and choose not to install the profile for awhile. Not a big deal at all imo.

Running beta software isn't for everyone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dmnc and ohio.emt

braddick

macrumors 68040
Jun 28, 2009
3,929
1,035
Encinitas, CA
I have an iPhone 5 on beta 2, iOS8.2 that will simply never expire. iPhone runs smoothly without difficulty- yet with minimum jailbreak tweaks.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.