iOS 26.0.1 has just arrived this week, but the next update of the iPhone plus substantial to come is iOS 26.1. It is in beta tests now, but a public launch is not far away. Here is the scheduled release date iOS 26.1.
iOS 26.1 should be launched at the end of October
Apple is a secret company, but it can also be very predictable for certain ways.
For example, every September, new iPhones are more or less exactly at the same time.
Software launches also tend to be very cyclical. So, even if Apple has not yet announced an iOS 26.1 release date, we can predict quite confidently when it arrives.
Here are the version dates for the last years of updates X.1:
- iOS 18.1: Monday October 28
- iOS 17.1: Wednesday October 25
- iOS 16.1: Monday October 24
As you can see, despite a small variability concerning the day of the week, the general timing follows a clear diagram.
Based on Apple’s story, iOS 26.1 should be launched at the end of OctoberProbably around October 27.
Monday, October 27, seems the best candidate for the release day, but it could still be a little earlier or later.
Each time during the week of October 20, is certainly possible, but around 27 would be my best estimate based on historical models.
New features to come in iOS 26.1
Apple has just published iOS 26.0.1 with a variety of bug corrections, but generally the X.1 more substantial version of the company eliminates many more bugs introduced into the new major iOS versions.
So, if you are upgrading to iOS 26 for the moment, iOS 26.1 could be the version to wait.
Apart from the bug corrections, however, Apple so far seems to focus on the features of Apple Intelligence to come in more languages with the update.
Apple Intelligence’s features are activated in eight new languages in iOS 26.1, a significant expansion.
A key AI functionality – Live translation in AirPods – is also obtaining support for five new languages with the update.
If you are an Apple Music user, iOS 26.1 includes a new scanning gesture to quickly switch between the songs.
In addition, some User interface updates arrive to scurnet the video playback of the Photos application, the calendar application and the phone.
It is still at the start of the beta process for iOS 26.1, so we could see many more features added before the arrival of the public release date.
Are you waiting until iOS 26.1 to upgrade your iPhone from iOS 18? Let us know in the comments.