iOS 26.2 Release Candidate Update Rolls Out to Beta Testers as Apple Prompts Users to Upgrade to iOS 26

Apple on Wednesday seeded the iOS 26.2 Release Candidate (RC) to developers and beta testers. Such updates do not include any new features but carry the finalised ones introduced in previous beta versions. The iOS 26.2 update for iPhone is expected to bring Reminder Alarms, one-time AirDrop code for file sharing, expanded AirPods Live Translation to the EU, and other improvements. The tech giant, notably, has also begun pushing the iOS 26 upgrade more prominently to iOS 18 users.

iOS 26.2 RC Update Rolls Out

According to Apple, RC updates are the final versions of the operating system (OS) in development before it is publicly released. The features seen in these updates are said to be final, although bugs and other improvements may be rolled out in future RC updates, if necessary. The iOS 26.2 RC update released by the tech giant comes with the build number 23C52.

The release notes state that the latest iPhone update addresses an AirDrop issue, where devices running iOS 26.2 Beta 1 set to the Everyone setting were not discoverable on iOS 26.2 Beta 2. It also patches a bug that caused the Watch Face Gallery text to appear in English-language only.

The public build of iOS 26.2 is expected to bring several new features to the iPhone. As per reports, it is said to change the classification levels for the Sleep Score feature on the Apple Watch, with the highest classification tier being renamed from Excellent to Very High.

Apple Podcasts is expected to gain support for Apple Intelligence. Following the iOS 26.2 update, it will reportedly be able to automatically generate chapters, create links to mentioned podcasts, and organise related content. Live Translation for AirPods could be expanded to the EU, while the update will also introduce a Liquid Glass lock screen slider for controlling the clock translucency.

Another notable feature that has been widely reported is for the Reminders app. Users will be able to set alarms and trigger timers, which will be able to bypass the Focus modes.

Apple's iOS 26 Push

According to reports, Apple is pushing the iOS 26 upgrade more prominently to users who are still running iOS 18 on their iPhone. The update, released in September, has remained optional till now. Reports suggest iPhone users currently on iOS 18 will see iOS 26.1 as the recommended iOS update in the Settings app.

However, users will reportedly continue to receive iOS 18 updates till it reaches the end-of-life period, but the updates will now be displayed at the bottom of the Settings app. iOS 26 updates, meanwhile, will be visible front and centre.