iOS 26 Release Date Leak: Expected Launch, Compatible Devices & New Features

Apple has officially pulled back the curtain on iOS 26 at WWDC 2025, promising the biggest visual overhaul since iOS 7 along with a raft of AI-powered upgrades. Here’s everything you need to know about the iOS 26 release date, beta schedule, supported devices and headline features. Release timeline at a glance • Developer beta: Available now, immediately after the WWDC keynote on 9 June 2025 for registered developers • Public beta: Expected the last week of June or the first week of July 2025, once Apple pushes Beta 2 to iron out early bugs • Gold Master (RC): Early September 2025, typically 7–10 days before the new iPhone event • General release: Targeted for 16 September 2025—about a week after the iPhone 17 lineup ships, following Apple’s well-worn late-September cadence Supported iPhones Apple is drawing the line at the A15 Bionic. If your handset is on this list, you’re cleared for iOS 26: – iPhone 17 and 17 Air (launch models) – iPhone 16 series – iPhone 15 series – iPhone 14 series – iPhone 13 series Key features worth the wait • Fresh Fluent Design 2.0: A glass-inspired UI with depth-sensing widgets that animate in real time. • Siri 2.0: On-device generative AI delivers conversational context, offline translation and SwiftID—voice authentication for apps. • LiveView: Share a live, interactive view of any app in FaceTime, complete with hand-off control. • Health Vault: End-to-end–encrypted medical records, prescriptions and lab trends, viewable across devices. • Smart Lockscreen: Dynamic font and icon colors that adapt to your wallpaper plus glanceable Live Activities for commute, workouts and deliveries. • Game Boost: A MetalFX upscaling toggle that can lift frame rates by up to 30 % on A17 and newer chips. How to install the beta safely 1. Back up your iPhone to iCloud or Finder. 2. Enroll your Apple ID in the Apple Developer Program (free tier now grants beta access). 3. On your iPhone, head to Settings → General → Software Update → Beta Updates and select “iOS 26 Developer Beta.” 4. Expect a 3–5 GB download; keep at least 10 GB free and your battery above 50 %. Why iOS 26 matters Between the AI-infused Siri revamp and a design refresh that touches every pixel, iOS 26 is set to influence both user expectations and app-store rankings this fall. Developers get a three-month runway to optimize for the new visual language and on-device AI APIs, while everyday users can look forward to improved battery life, greater privacy controls and deeper personalization. Stay tuned—public beta links go live before July, and we’ll update this page the moment Apple confirms the exact rollout window.