Apple testing iOS 6.1 with new map search tools

The iPad and iPhone maker is already testing a new version of iOS 6 with developers that could bring maps improvements to third-party apps.

Josh Lowensohn Former Senior Writer

Josh Lowensohn joined CNET in 2006 and now covers Apple. Before that, Josh wrote about everything from new Web start-ups, to remote-controlled robots that watch your house. Prior to joining CNET, Josh covered breaking video game news, as well as reviewing game software. His current console favorite is the Xbox 360.

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Josh Lowensohn

Nov. 1, 2012 1:26 p.m. PT

Alongsideits public release of iOS 6.0.1 earlier today, Apple doled out a beta version of iOS 6.1 to developers as well.

Before you get too excited, the software so far appears to be light on new, user-facing features. Instead, one of the key improvements is new back-end technology that will let developers better use the company's homegrown maps inside their own applications.

To provide a frame of reference, it took Apple about four months to release iOS 5.1 after it released iOS 5.0.1. That update brought a reworked camera application on the iPad, and increased the size limit for over-the-air app downloads.

iOS 6.0.1, which went out as a free update today, fixed a handful of bugs -- including one that kept iPhone 5 users from updating over the air, as well as another that left horizontal lines on the software keyboard when typing.

Alongside the release, Apple also put out a new developer preview of XCode, version 4.6, for Mac and iOS software development.

(via Apple Insider)