Apple is expected to release the first developer beta of iOS 26.2 as early as Tuesday, November 5, immediately following the planned public launch of iOS 26.1 on Monday, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.The iOS 26.2 beta will arrive alongside early betas for iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS, Gurman revealed in his latest Power On newsletter. While the initial beta may not feature any significant new additions, the reporter suggests that more substantial features could be introduced in later testing cycles – a pattern Apple demonstrated with iOS 26.1, which only received its tinted “Liquid Glass” title in the fourth beta.
What to expect from the iOS 26.2 update
The next beta update is expected to prioritize performance optimizations and behind-the-scenes improvements over major feature overhauls. However, Apple has confirmed that support for US passports in Apple Wallet will debut before the end of the year, potentially with this update. Another expected addition is end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging, a feature Apple previously committed to delivering in a future software update.Gurman notes that iOS 26.1 will reach users on Monday, barring last-minute setbacks. This update introduces a new “tinted” option for the Liquid Glass feature, improving text readability while slightly reducing visual intensity – a relatively minor refresh overall.Following Apple’s usual release schedule, iOS 26.2 is expected to be released to the public in December after several weeks of beta testing. The stable release is expected to bring smoother performance, bug fixes, and incremental system-wide improvements to eligible iPhone models.
