iOS 9: How to download developer preview and sign up for public beta

iOS 9 Public Beta How to Download — iOS 9 features a wide range of improvements including split view on iPad and improved Siri functionality on iPhone - and it's available to download now. Apple

Apple has just announced iOS 9 at its developer conference with a huge range of new features and performance improvements and it is available to download now.

iOS 9 was announced by Apple on stage at WWDC 2015 in San Francisco on 8 June with a slew of new features; the new mobile operating system will be available as a developer preview from today and - in an iOS first - as a public beta from July.

From multi-tasking on your iPad, to a far more intelligent Siri, as well as updates to security and performance, iOS 9 is a significant update and one many people will want to use as soon as possible.

For a full rundown on the new features, you can read our comprehensive iOS 9 Preview.

Here, we tell you just how you can download the latest version of Apple's iOS 9 as soon as possible.

iOS 9 compatibility

First up, a note on compatibility. Apple announced that it managed to shrink down the size of this update from 4.6GB in iOS 8 to just 1.3GB in iOS 9, which is an incredible achievement on its own. What that means is that if your device worked with iOS 8, then it will work with iOS 9*, meaning the following devices are compatible:

iPhone 4s
iPhone 5
iPhone 5s
iPhone 6
iPhone 6 Plus
iPad 2
iPad mini
iPad 3
iPad 4
iPad Air
iPad Air 2
iPod touch (5th generation)

*It should be noted that not all iOS 9 features will be coming to all these devices - particularly the new iPad split screen mode which only works with the iPad Air 2.

iOS 9 - Public Beta

Apple begun public beta testing of its Mac OS X software last year with Yosemite, and as expected it is now extending that to iOS for the first time with iOS 9.

The public beta will launch in July (exact date to be announced) and all you need to do is sign up on Apple Beta Software Program website where you will be asked to sign in with your Apple ID.

Apple will then send you an email if you are among those chosen to take part in the public beta, with the company not specifying how many people will be allowed access.