iOS 6 is packed to the brim with new features and enhancements, and the fourth beta arrives with even more changes, some of which have been documented by developers already.
Released to a sea of registered Apple developers yesterday, iOS 6 Beta 4 (or Developer Preview 4) includes a bunch of noteworthy changes, such as the removal of YouTube, improved Bluetooth sharing, privacy, enhanced Maps, and an updated Passbook app.
People privy to the beta software say iOS 6 now asks users to input their iCloud information upon logging in for the first time. The privacy settings, including those for Bluetooth sharing, have been improved.
A button that links to the App Store can now be found in the new Passbook application. 9to5mac speculates that Apple might be planning to include a new section that features Passbook-enabled apps in the final release of iOS 6.
Moving on to the Shared Calendar, the alerts toggle has been moved to the bottom of the Mail, Contacts, and Calendar settings.
As far as the new Maps application is concerned, Apple has improved the core mapping data (especially visible in the satellite view), as well as the app’s overall performance. The app now highlights one-way streets with blue arrows (pictured left).
Apple has also added some new 3D views for major cities in the U.S. and overseas. The new 3D-cities featured in iOS 6 Beta 4 include Boston, Atlanta, Portland, Phoenix, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Houston, and Dallas.
Canada adds Toronto to the list of 3D-rendered territories, and Europe now displays awesome flyover views of Lyon (France), Birmingham and Manchester (England).
Other cities that were already featured in the 3D view of Apple’s Maps app include Los Angeles, San Diego, Memphis, Denver, Copenhagen, Montreal, San Francisco and the Bay Area, Las Vegas, Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago, Miami, Seattle, and Sacramento.
Siri is also enhanced in the latest iOS beta. Developers have noticed and reported an updated information menu which includes new capabilities, such as: How do I get home?; Tweet with my location…; Post to Facebook…; Table for four in Palo Alto…; What movies are playing?; Play Norah Jones (or other artists, depending on what you have stored in your music library).
