- The iOS 26 public beta could launch this week, a new report claims
- It’s slightly delayed compared to the usual public beta launch date
- That’s unlikely to push back the full iOS 26 release, expected in September
The iOS 26 developer beta has been out since Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2025, but if you’ve been itching to get your hands on the beta without requiring a developer account there’s good news, as the iOS 26 public beta is rumored to be launching as soon as this week.
That’s according to the latest Power On newsletter ($/£) from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. There, Gurman revealed that “All indications are that iOS 26 should go into the public beta phase this coming week.”
That will bring the updated iOS operating system to a much wider audience than it currently has, although it’s not the full, ready-to-go release – that’s expected in September, alongside the reveal of the iPhone 17 range.
In a post on X last week, Gurman said that the iOS 26 public beta could launch on or around Wednesday, July 23, and the subsequent Power On update seems to suggest that Gurman remains confident with that timing.
New features coming soon
Gurman’s report also briefly touched on iOS 27, which is due out in 2026. Gurman believes that Apple has already started development on this software, which he says will focus on features destined for Apple’s foldable iPhone.
That’s rumored to be launching in the latter half of 2026, or perhaps early 2027, and will mark Apple’s first attempt to unseat the current best foldable phones on the market. There’s therefore a lot of pressure on Apple to get it right, perhaps explaining the early start on iOS 27.
In the past, Apple has tended to release its iOS public betas around the middle of July, so the mooted July 23 launch date is a little later than usual. Gurman ascribes this to the full-blown Liquid Glass redesign in iOS 26, saying “it makes sense that Apple would want to take a little extra time to get things right.”
But Gurman is not concerned about any knock-on effect of this delayed public beta release date, adding that it’s unlikely to push back the unveiling of the full version of iOS 26.
Aside from iOS 26, Apple will almost certainly release the public betas for macOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and an update for the HomePod’s operating system at the same time.
The iOS 26 upgrade brings in a radically overhauled look and feel thanks to the Liquid Glass redesign, as well as increased protection from spam callers, a new Games app, updates to Apple Intelligence, and more.
And with the public beta supposedly launching this week, you’ll soon be able to try them out for yourself – just make sure you remember to back up your iPhone first in case anything goes wrong.
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