Verbose logging and analytics. The feedback app collects that data and sends it to Apple when you submit a bug report for instance. Or when an unexpected crash occurs.
Still waiting to hear back from my friend at where this exists on a system level these days with the way beta software is deployed.
It used to be the beta software came bundled with those extra debugging tools that would not be part of the release version.
As I understand it, that’s still the case, but there’s been some queries, and the fact the feedback app now appears bundled with all versions and hidden behind a toggle, it could be that this logging is also handled the same way now too. Activated/disabled by the same toggle.
When it was bundled separately (and if it still is) this would continue to exist on your device even after going off of beta software onto the release version, with no way to remove it. It’s a background task that’s always running so would have a hit to battery life and performance.
Eh!?! That would be insane.
Many moons ago I thought there was a build difference with beta and release but I thought that was long gone with public betas etc.
Did I recall you saying you had access to dev tools properly and iOS devs at some point at your work?
The biggest risk I thought with the beta is screwing up your phone profile and background iCloud stuff (HomeKit used to have issues…) forcing a clean slate on all ends if it got too bad.
I know the phone profile can get borked from experience causing weird isolated glitches that happened to me and a few others only (as reported) so that’s the big risk with messing with beta on your DD (daily driver)
I have had spotlight search completely fail for several .X releases as I went beta and the builds had a search issue that was rare and unfixed by release and it followed the phones profile till I did a setup fresh. Likewise HomeKit/iCloud stuff can survive a fresh install as it synced to the cloud.
I scrolled up a bit but I am trying to find sources for this being how it still works as I don’t think it follows your phone profile, I thought it was just turned off like it works in other os’s.
When you say reinstall you mean a full image upgrade over the OTA patches?
I don’t know why OTA couldn’t disable nor remove debug as it can patch any of the OS or remove.
Is this a theory? (Not having a pop, just more confidence level)
I will need to have a play again for a look in Xcode when I have time. I just thought you had said before you developed on iOS or your company did.
No this was definitely apart of the beta ipsws for many years. As far as I was aware, it still was as of iOS 16 at the very least. The extra logging forms the bulk of the privacy agreement for signing up the beta program.
I’m awaiting confirmation as for whether that’s still the case with the public beta release.
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