As of yesterday, when the fourth developer beta of iOS 9 was issued to testers, those running a prerelease version of the operating system can no longer leave app reviews in the App Store. Negative app reviews left by beta testers is a perennial problem for app developers (as highlighted well in this post over on MacStories), and it's nice to see Apple taking steps to fix it even though OS X El Capitan beta testers can still leave app reviews as of this writing.

Up until now, users testing new iOS versions could leave bad reviews for apps that didn't work correctly under the new OS. The problem with this, of course, is that developers can't submit apps targeting the new OS until the software (and the development tools) are finalized. That leaves a three-or-so-month gap between when users can get the software and when developers can fix specific bugs, and the iOS 9 public beta means this prerelease software is being distributed more widely than in years past.

The final version of iOS 9 is due this fall—if the past three years are any indication, it will happen in September around the same time that new iPhones are introduced. The public beta is currently available for anyone who wants it (sixth-generation iPod Touch owners aside), but it looks like it won't be updated as quickly or as often as the developer beta.