Apple drops iOS 15 beta 7, iPadOS 15 beta 7; is now the time to install them?

Within a few weeks, Apple will disseminate iOS 15 to an eager crowd of iPhone users. Today, the tech giant dropped iOS 15 public beta 7 which is version 19A5337a. Also released today is iPadOS 15 beta 7. If you are a member of the Apple beta software program, either update can be installed OTA by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

The zillion dollar question is whether now is a propitious time to join the beta program and install the beta. We usually recommend that those who rely on their iPhone for work refrain from installing the latest version of iOS until the final version is available. That's because while in beta, certain iOS features that you rely on might not be operational. And don't forget that battery life also takes a hit during beta testing.

But with just weeks to go before iOS 15 is pushed out, you just might be so eager to use the new Focus Mode that you are willing to put up with some bugs for a brief period of time. With Focus, an iPhone user enters his current status. For example, if you're working you can select working from your options and the apps and notifications on your phone will adjust accordingly.

Another exciting feature coming with iOS 15 is Live Text. This feature examines images on your iPhone screen for information that can be used. For example, if you have a photo of a business card in your camera roll, the phone number on the card can be used to dial that number.  

Do you feel lucky? Do you want to give the iOS 15 beta a shot or do you want to wait a few weeks for the final version of the software to be ready? If you do decide to take a chance, remember to backup your phone because you can never be too careful.

Personally, this writer feels split. After waiting so long, why not just give iOS 15 the little time left until it is ready to be installed. On the other hand, some of the new features are calling out my name. If you're the conservative type, you might as well just wait. But if curiosity has the better of you and you can't think of anything else, as long as you've backed up your data, you might want to give it a shot.