One day after Apple released iOS 12 and watchOS 5 to the public, it's begun testing on the next big updates for both platforms.
Apple today released iOS 12.1 beta 1 and watchOS 5.1 beta 1 to registered developers. If you're an Apple dev, you can download iOS 12.1 beta 1 by going into Settings > General > Software Update after installing the correct configuration profile on your device. Once you've got the configuration profile for the watchOS 5.1 beta installed, you can get the update by launching the Watch app on your phone and then going into General > Software Update.
Apple hasn't announced anything about the iOS 12 or watchOS 5 updates, so it's unclear what new features they might include or when they might launch to the public. As developers install the updates and dig into them, though, we should learn more about what changes Apple has included.
One feature that may be included in iOS 12.1 is Group FaceTime, a feature that was slated to launch with iOS 12 but was delayed for an undisclosed reason. With Group FaceTime, you can conduct audio and video FaceTime calls with up to 32 people at once. The tile of the person speaking in a Group FaceTime will automatically get larger to help you keep track of what's going on. Apple has said that Group FaceTime "will ship in a future software update later this fall."
UPDATE: It's been discovered that iOS 12.1 beta 1 does include Group FaceTime support.
