Apple to release first iOS 16.6 beta update ahead of WWDC 2023: All the details
US tech giant Apple has released the first beta version of iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 to developers ahead of its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month. This latest beta update includes several new features, such as iMessage Contact Key Verification, which aims to provide improved security for Apple users.
While it’s uncertain whether the iMessage Contact Key Verification feature is fully functional in the original beta version, the Settings app now has an iMessage Contact Key Verification setting, MacRumors reports. iMessage Contact Key is specially designed to protect Apple users from serious digital threats.
It is intended for individuals such as journalists, human rights activists and government officials who are at risk of malicious digital attacks, particularly by state-sponsored attackers or other malicious actors, the report said.
The purpose of iMessage Contact Key Verification is to enable owners of Apple devices to ensure that they are communicating with the intended recipients, rather than having their conversations intercepted or eavesdropped by a malicious entity. After both parties have enabled iMessage Contact Key Verification, Apple will send an alert if the cloud servers are breached, indicating a possible intrusion into the security of the conversation.
In addition, users can further confirm their identity and the authenticity of their contact information by comparing the contact verification code in person, via FaceTime, or using another secure application.
Apple had announced that iMessage Contact Key Verification will be available on iPhones and other Apple devices sometime in 2023. It is considered to be one of the last expected features of iOS 16. This feature was originally announced alongside Apple ID security keys. which became available in iOS 16.3, further improving the overall security of Apple’s ecosystem.
As Apple continues to prioritize user privacy and security, the iOS 16.6 beta update offers developers the opportunity to explore and test these new features before they are released to the wider user base.
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