Apple to seed first public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and more in July

With developer betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 now available, Apple has announced that public betas for compatible iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, Apple TVs, and the Apple Vision Pro will launch in July.

Although these are developer betas, they can technically be installed by anyone. However, Apple typically holds off on releasing public betas for about a month. This delay gives the company time to iron out major bugs and polish the experience, since public testers are more likely to install the software on their primary devices — unlike developers, who are expected to use test hardware.

The public betas set to arrive next month include iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26.

iOS 26: A Major Visual Overhaul

iOS 26 features Apple’s most significant visual redesign since iOS 7, introducing a new “Liquid Glass” aesthetic. This system-wide refresh incorporates translucent elements and dynamic, content-driven layouts. The Lock Screen now intelligently adjusts the clock’s placement around wallpaper imagery, while new spatial wallpapers create a subtle 3D parallax effect. Core apps such as Camera and Photos have been redesigned, and Apple Music, News, and Podcasts now use a floating tab bar for a more immersive experience.

Apple Intelligence & Smarter Communication

Apple Intelligence gets major upgrades in iOS 26. New features include Live Translation for real-time audio and text translation in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone. A new Visual Intelligence tool lets users interact with on-screen content — for instance, asking contextual questions or searching for related items — powered by ChatGPT and supported third-party apps.

The Phone app has been revamped with a unified view, Call Screening, and Hold Assist. Messages now offers spam filtering, custom chat backgrounds, polls, and expanded Apple Cash functionality in group chats.

Entertainment & Utility Apps Get Smarter

Entertainment and utility apps also see meaningful updates. Apple Music now supports Lyrics Translation, Pronunciation Guides, and a DJ-style AutoMix feature. Apple Maps adds a timeline of visited places and notable stops. Wallet gets a redesign for boarding passes with Live Activities support and deeper integration with travel tools.