In beta testing, a product undergoing testing (usually in software development) is made available to a limited audience outside of the company. This phase occurs after alpha testing (initial internal testing) and is aimed at uncovering any bugs or usability issues that were not previously identified. Beta tests can be open (available to anyone) or closed (limited to certain users) and are crucial for gathering feedback on the product's performance, features, and user experience. Feedback gathered helps developers make refinements and fixes prior to the public launch.