What’s happened? Apple has released the public betas for its upcoming suite of operating system updates.
- It means iPhone owners can now download the iOS 26 public beta, iPad owners get access to iPadOS 26, Mac users can now check out macOS Tahoe, while Watch wearers have the option to experience the watchOS 26 public beta.
- Even Apple TV watchers can test-drive the tvOS 26 public beta.
- All ahead of the official releases later this year (likely mid-September).
This is important because: This year’s raft of software updates mark Apple’s biggest overhaul of its operating systems in more than a decade.
- They feature Apple’s new Liquid Glass design ethos, and are designed to more closely interact than ever before, for a seamless experience across your Apple devices.
- Apple Vision Pro owners miss out on the action however, with Apple opting not to release visionOS 26 as a public beta. If you own Apple’s XR headset, you’ll need to wait for the official release of the software update.
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Why should I care? If you’ve been clamoring to test out Apple’s new Liquid Glass interface, the release of the public betas is your first proper opportunity to do so – but we’d recommend proceeding with caution.
- While Apple is clearly happy with the general stability of the platforms now, these are still beta systems. It means that bugs could well be present, which may negatively affect the performance of your device.
- If you rely on your iPhone, iPad, Watch, or Mac for important daily tasks, we’d recommend steering clear of the public beta and wait for the official release of the operating systems in a few months time.
Okay, what’s next? With the public betas now available, Apple has vastly expanded its pool of testers as it looks to squash the remaining bugs before the official release later this year.
- If you want to try out the public betas on your Apple devices, you’ll need to sign up for the Apple Beta Software Programme. It’s free to do so, but again, proceed with caution as these updates are still in development.
- Apple says it will launch the final versions of its new operating systems this fall, and going by previous years that will likely be sometime in September around the iPhone 17 launch.
