Maybe it will be "fourth time the charm" for app developers if Apple launches the next iteration of its iOS 8 beta.
At press time rumors were circulating that the company would bring out iOS 8 beta 4 on Monday, July 21, following only a few weeks after the last version. Among other things, iOS 8 includes code for running apps side-by-side, voice messaging and a slew of other enhancements.
Though there was, of course, no official comment from Apple on its beta roadmap, some developers on Twitter claimed to be in the know about No. 4 making its debut.
"@MacRumors: iOS 8 Beta 4 Reportedly Coming Monday, July 21 http://t.co/XSpCoZIf6k by @eslivka" I can confirm
— ZΔCH (@zachsimone) July 17, 2014
There was also commentary from a number of developers about their plans to move in lock-step with iOS 8's release to the wider world.
OmniFocus 2 for iPad and OmniGraffle 2 for iPad will both require iOS 8. Our goal is to ship them both the week it ships.
— Ken Case (@kcase) July 17, 2014
In many cases, however, there were Tweets about problems with using earlier versions of iOS 8 beta, with some cloaking their disappointment in irony...
Day 2: iOS 8 continues to impress #iregreteverything pic.twitter.com/j73R95q7MC
— Nat Johnson (@NatGTJohnson) July 17, 2014
Others were a little more blunt.
iOS 8, beta 3 - huge step backwards in reliability unfortunately. Worst beta I've ever had.
— Nick Donnelly (@nickdonnelly) July 15, 2014
Longtime iOS developers were focused on the future and particularly in working with things that sounded genuinely new in the platform.
iOS 8 beta 4 WILL HAVE iTunes extras. In fact, that's the one thing Apple wants devs to test out.
— Kento Ito (@alchemistmuffin) July 10, 2014
And if nothing else, both Apple and developers were keeping a sense of humor about iOS 8, and app development in general.
iOS 8 beta 3 has Siri making developer jokes. This is awesome. http://t.co/8hBfWv2y87
— Timothy Reavis (@TimothyReavis) July 13, 2014