Apple Adds Wireless Update Support with iOS 5 Beta 4

Apple has released the fourth iOS 5 beta to App Store developers. iOS 5 beta 4 is available as an over-the-air update, meaning users can download and install the software update without physically connecting their Apple device to a computer. While the feature hasn’t been present in earlier versions of the operating system, all future software updates will be over-the-air.

In addition to wireless software updates, iOS 5 beta 4 offers a multitude of bug fixes and improvements. The beta offers support for wireless data synchronization with Windows, something previous builds only offered to Mac users.

Today’s release is meant for developers, although anyone who has paid $99 for a developer account can access iOS 5 beta 4. Apple, who expects to launch iOS 5 this fall, plans to offer a new notification system, an improved camera app, a digital magazine store, and built-in Twitter support.

While you can still install iOS 5 beta 4 using iTunes and a USB cable, why not try the new over-the-air method?