Update: Apple appears to have now disabled external testing in iTunes Connect again after briefly enabling it this afternoon.

[tweet https://twitter.com/amitnkalra/status/631992910771130368 align=’center’]

When Apple updated the TestFlight app for iOS 9 compatiblity earlier this month, it came with the caveat that developers could only submit iOS 9 betas to members of their own teams. Today, however, the company has enabled external testing, allowing developers to start pushing iOS 9-ready betas to any users.

[tweet https://twitter.com/BigZaphod/status/631928942723768324 align=’center’]

iOS 9-specific applications can include support for native watch apps, providing a much improved experience for Apple Watch users. They can also take advantage of App Thinning, which keeps app bundle sizes down by only downloading assets that are required for any given device to run them, rather than downloading all available assets for all devices, including those that would go unused.

The new wave of beta apps can also include the ability to search in-app content using Spotlight as part of Apple’s enhanced “Proactive Assistant” feature.

Thanks for the tip, Isa!