Apple has confirmed iOS 26’s public launch this fall, following the release of beta 4 to developers and testers with major UI and Apple Intelligence updates.

Testing with developer and public beta versions went smoothly for even the oldest supported models. But there are safety measures if upgrading to the beta or release version goes awry.

Best to be cautious in these early days of the iPhone's next system version. Consider some practical advice from someone who's been burned.

Back in 2024, we described how the then-new iOS 18 enabled you to tint your homescreen icons, allowing you to tweak the look of your iPhone’s display. Now, with Apple’s introduction of its Liquid Glass design for iOS 26, you can make your icons completely clear ( assuming you’re a fan of the new invisible look).

The public beta of iOS 26 is now live, offering users an early look at Apple’s next big iPhone software release.

iOS 26 brings a new translucent "Liquid Glass" look, the latest on-device Apple Intelligence perks (real-time translation and a smarter Visual Intelligence search ), and phone and text upgrades like built-in call screening and in-chat polls.

The fourth developer beta of iOS 26 introduces 12 new CarPlay wallpapers. The new CarPlay wallpapers are based on the official iOS 26 wallpaper