Apple Releases First iOS 16.6 Beta Update in Advance Of WWDC 2023: Know More

In advance of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) later this month, the US-based tech giant Apple has released the first beta versions of iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 for developers. Several new features, including iMessage Contact Key Verification, are included in the most recent beta version to enhance security for Apple consumers.

According to MacRumors, there is now a setting for iMessage Contact Key Verification in the Settings app. However, whether the feature works entirely in the initial beta release is still being determined. iMessage Contact Key was created to defend Apple users from severe online threats.

Is it designed to stop digital attacks?

According to the paper, it is designed for people vulnerable to malicious digital attacks, notably from state-sponsored attackers or other bad actors, such as journalists, human rights advocates, and government officials.

With the help of iMessage Contact Key Verification, Apple device owners can ensure that they interact with the right people rather than with someone listening in on their discussions. Apple will send a notification if the cloud servers are compromised, indicating a potential intrusion into the security of the debate, when both parties have enabled iMessage Contact Key Verification.

Users can further confirm their identity and the integrity of their contacts by comparing a Contact Verification Code in person, over FaceTime, or with another secure app.

On iPhones and other Apple devices, iMessage Contact Key Verification would be made available at some point in 2023, according to an announcement from Apple. It is regarded as one of the last features anticipated to debut in iOS 16. This function was first introduced with Security Keys for Apple ID, which was made accessible in iOS 16.3 and improved the security of Apple's ecosystem.

The iOS 16.6 beta update allows developers to examine and test these new capabilities before they are made available to a more extensive user base, as Apple continues to prioritise user privacy and security.