Apple has delivered good news to those who have had to pay an annual fee to experience developer beta versions of Apple software.
The requirement to pay a fee exclusively for beta versions has been lifted. With a trillion-dollar volume in the app ecosystem, Apple holds the position of revenue leader in the industry. To publish apps on the App Store, developers need an Apple account. The Apple Developer Account also provides the opportunity to experience developer beta versions of software. Developers have had to pay an annual fee of $99 for this account.
According to the announcement made at WWDC 2023, experiencing the developer beta versions of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS operating systems will now be free. An Apple developer account is still required, but there is no longer an obligation to pay the $99 annual fee for beta versions. Users can easily join the developer program with their Apple IDs and access software betas within the program. However, developers who wish to publish apps and receive technical support will still need to pay the $99 fee.
Previously, to try beta versions for free, one had to wait for public beta versions. Now, it will be possible to access Apple software betas at much earlier stages.
Improvement in Apple's developer program
According to the announcement made at WWDC 2023, experiencing the developer beta versions of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS operating systems will now be free. An Apple developer account is still required, but there is no longer an obligation to pay the $99 annual fee for beta versions. Users can easily join the developer program with their Apple IDs and access software betas within the program. However, developers who wish to publish apps and receive technical support will still need to pay the $99 fee.
Previously, to try beta versions for free, one had to wait for public beta versions. Now, it will be possible to access Apple software betas at much earlier stages.