Apple’s iOS 26 public beta may finally arrive next week

    By Ian Bell
Published July 15, 2025

Why it matters: Apple fans dying to try the latest iPhone OS have faced a wait longer than expected for the iOS 26 public beta, diverging from Apple’s usually rapid rollout. A near-term release could help ramp up user testing , work out bugs, and increase excitement ahead of the full launch this fall, especially as rivals like Google push AI-heavy Android updates.

The big idea: Multiple reports suggest Apple is looking at July 23rd for the iOS public beta debut, based on insights from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This follows the developer beta 3 rollout on July 7, which skipped the typical one-week public follow-up.

Go deeper:

The bottom line: Enroll in Apple’s Beta Software Program to get in line for the update. With sources aligning on a late-July push, iOS 26’s beta phase is heating up—Digital Trends will track features, compatibility (starting from newer iPhones like the 16 series onward), and any last-minute shifts. Curious if your iPhone will support iOS 26? See our full list of iOS 26 compatible models. For everything we know about iOS 26 so far, check out our article here.

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