A trial run of a product or system with a limited group of users before its full release to identify bugs and gather feedback.
From the Greek letter beta (β), the second letter of the alphabet, indicating the second phase of testing after alpha testing. The term emerged in the 1960s-70s in software development, where alpha testing was done internally and beta testing involved external users.
The term 'beta' has become so ubiquitous that many services now remain in 'perpetual beta' as a way to manage user expectations and excuse ongoing glitches. Gmail famously stayed in beta for five years, turning what was once a brief testing phase into a marketing strategy.
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