A man looks at his Apple iPad in front an Apple logo outside an Apple store in downtown Shanghai
A man looks at his Apple iPad in front an Apple logo outside an Apple store in downtown Shanghai March 16, 2012. Reuters/Aly Song

The Worldwide Developers Conference 2014 has seen Apple unveiling iOS8, its much-awaited OS update. The Beta 1 version of iOS 8 was released to the developers and registered users during the first week of June.

Currently, the company has presented the "Beta 2" version of iOS 8 OS. This software update includes improvements, fixes and several feature changes. The iOS 8 Beta 2 version can be downloaded and installed for free before the official release of iOS 8 in fall.

Who Can Download?

Apple device users and developers can sign up for the program and download the software. The sign up amount is $99.

Warning: Unlike the finished product/software, users might experience device/app crashes, bugs and glitches upon downloading and using the beta version of the latest software.

Rules

1. As a rule of thumb, back up the device before installing the beta version of iOS 8. The device can be backed up with the help of the latest version of iTunes. Another way is to use iCloud backup.

2. To check if the device is compatible or not, head straight to Apple's support page for iPads and iPhones.

3. The beta versions of software are meant for development devices registered with Apple's Developer Program. Unauthorized installation could make the device unstable and could cause warranty related issues.

4. The registering and installation of this beta version gives the users the right to find and submit bug reports to Apple's bug tracker. This can be achieved by using the in-built Bug Reporter app. The app can be located in the Notification Center of the device.

Apple iOS 8 Beta 2 Download

Interested readers with an iOS developer account can now visit IMZDL and download iOS 8 Beta 2 software update.

Installation Guide

1. Log in with an Apple ID to get access to the beta software. After successfully logging in, the downloadable file should show up on IMZDL. Download the iOS 8 beta 2 file specific to the particular Apple device.

2. Now log in to iTunes and choose "Restore your iPhone" with the iOS 8 beta 2. In case of Macs, hold the Alt/Option key down when clicking on "Restore." In case of Windows, the Shift key should be pressed when clicking on "Restore."

3. A file with the extension ".ipsw" should be available in the "Downloads" folder. This is the iOS 8 beta 2 installation file.

4. Like any other software download, iOS 8 beta 2 installation will drain the battery of the device.