iOS 26.3 Beta 2 — What’s New & Noteworthy

Software Update

iOS 26.3 Beta 2 — What’s New & Changes

Developer Beta

  • Build Number Update iOS 26.3 Beta 2 ships with build 23D5103D, confirming this as a minor refinement update rather than a feature-heavy release.
  • Modem Firmware Upgrade Modem firmware is updated to 1.40.02 on the iPhone 17 series, indicating cellular reliability and connectivity improvements.
  • Background Security Improvements Apple tested its new Background Security Improvements system via iOS 26.3A and 26.3B silent updates, installing security fixes without a full OS update.
  • Wallpaper Categories Refined Lock Screen wallpapers now separate Weather and Astronomy. Weather wallpapers gain three visual variations instead of a single option.
  • Transfer to Android Option A new Transfer to Android option appears under Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone, enabling direct nearby device transfers in collaboration with Google.
  • Notification Forwarding Removed Notification forwarding to third-party smartwatches was removed in Beta 2. This feature is EU-only and appeared globally by mistake in Beta 1.
  • Apple Intelligence & Google Gemini Apple officially confirmed Google Gemini will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri 2.0, via Apple’s Private Cloud Compute.
  • Performance & Battery Performance remains comparable to iOS 26.2. Early Geekbench scores are slightly lower in beta testing, while battery life appears unchanged in daily use.
  • Stability & Release Timeline iOS 26.3 Beta 2 feels stable overall. Beta 3 is expected next week, with the final 26.3 release likely in late January or early February 2026.

This summary covers iOS 26.3 Beta 2 (January 2026) based on developer testing and early beta feedback. Features and performance may change before final release.

iOS 26.2 Beta 1 – All New Features, Changes & Performance Summary

Software Update

iOS 26.2 Beta 1 — What’s New & Noteworthy

Developer Beta

  • Liquid Glass Intensity Slider Lock-screen clock’s Liquid Glass effect gains a new intensity slider under Customize → Liquid Glass. Sliding up increases tint and blur; sliding down produces a clearer, glass-like look.
  • Reminders Alarm Option You can now enable Urgent (Alarm) when creating a reminder — it plays an alarm even if Focus is active or the phone is muted. A global toggle and “Complete” shortcut are also available.
  • Podcasts — Auto Chapters & Mentions Apple Podcasts now supports automatically generated chapters, podcast mentions, and a From this episode section showing links and topics referenced by the host.
  • Apple News UI Redesign Navigation bar updated — Audio and Following now separate. Added horizontal “Discover” slider on the main feed for trending categories like Sports, Business, and Entertainment.
  • Enhanced Safety Alerts New Enhanced Alerts section under Notifications includes earthquake alerts, imminent threat warnings, and an option to share approximate location to improve alert delivery.
  • Sleep Tracking Changes Sleep Score levels updated: Very Low (0–40), Low (41–60), OK (61–80), High (81–95), Very High (96–100). Sleep Focus icon now purple instead of green.
  • Live Translation Expansion AirPods Live Translation expands to the EU starting with iOS 26.2. Apple confirms rollout expected in December — likely timing for the final 26.2 release.
  • Performance & Battery Performance remains consistent with 26.1. Early Geekbench results on iPhone 17 Pro Max ≈ 3856 single / 9767 multi. Battery drain minimal in short-term testing.
  • Stability & Release Timeline First beta feels stable and fluid. Expect multiple betas before final — estimated release around mid–December 2025.

This summary covers iOS 26.2 Beta 1 (November 2025) based on developer testing and early beta feedback. All names and trademarks are property of their respective owners.