iPhone recovery could get easier Apple's latest developer beta suggests that the company is working on non-computer-based, over-the-air recovery for iOS devices

The third beta of iOS 134, Apple's next iPhone software update, features a new feature called "OS Recovery," as spotted by 9to5Mac, without first connecting to a computer, It appears to be a way to restore iPhones, iPads, and other Apple devices without first connecting them to a computer

If your iPhone or iPad suddenly stops working, you are usually instructed to connect the device to your computer to restore its functionality (Read: What to do when your iPhone is disabled)

But as our mobile devices become more autonomous, it makes sense for Apple to provide a recovery option for iPhone users without access to a standalone Mac or PC It makes sense to provide one

According to a 9to5Mac report, OS Recovery allows users to restore iOS software wirelessly or by connecting to a functioning iPhone or iPad via USB Perhaps specifically, the iPhone 12's rumored USB-C charging port

The new OS Recovery feature would likely function like macOS Internet Recovery This is a restore option via the Internet for Mac users who do not have another computer nearby to help with the software recovery process

OS Recovery is not yet available for iOS devices and is in the beta version of iOS 134, but Apple may be testing it for iOS 14 It may also be discarded altogether