Eighth developer beta of iOS 26: Has Apple finished testing?
Apple released the eighth developer preview of iOS 26 on Tuesday night, as well as the fifth public beta. The system now appears to be complete.
Innovations in iOS 26.
(Image: Apple)
Will there be a ninth or tenth beta or is that it? Apple has released the eighth preview version of iOS 26 for developers. Immediately afterwards – and without the usual waiting time –, the fifth public beta was released for normal users. Observers therefore suspect that Apple now wants to end the test phase. The same could also apply to macOS 26, whose beta versions number eight (developer) and number five (public) were released on Tuesday night, as well as two new betas each for iPadOS 26 and tvOS 26.
How things are going otherwise
If Apple really is proceeding as assumed, the next step would probably be the release candidate version (RC). However, there are still a few weeks to go. It is currently expected that new iPhones and Apple Watch models will be presented around September 9. The new operating systems could then be released a week later as usual. A lot can still happen between the last beta and the release candidate. Apple has to find and fix the last bugs. Even the RC version does not necessarily have to be the final version, as there is still room for change.
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In the past, Apple has also had to present an adapted iOS as soon as new iPhones are released. This should now be a thing of the past thanks to new wireless update machines, at least for devices purchased in Apple stores. Last year, Apple released the eighth beta of iOS 18 on August 28. It then went straight into the RC phase. The simultaneous release of the developer and public betas is a sign of this, as it allows more people to test the latest pre-release version more quickly.
Glassy back and forth
iOS 26, but also macOS 26 and the other new operating systems, will be particularly exciting this year. Apple has made the biggest changes since iOS 7 with the Liquid Glass UI. It took some getting used to for testers at first. Icons are different, menus and tabs as well as input fields are crazy. It felt like Apple was forever tinkering with the transparency of the elements, sometimes making the glass effect less strong, sometimes stronger.
In all the discussion about the look, however, the many small details, some of which Apple integrated for the first time, tended to get lost. This starts with the ability to finally record location histories in Apple Maps, continues with significantly improved file management and ends with iPadOS 26, which finally brings the long-awaited almost unrestricted window management. As usual, the new operating systems cost users nothing. For stress-free beta testing of macOS 26, a virtual machine is recommended; for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Apple Watch, it is best to use a device that is not currently in productive operation. A little practice with Liquid Glass before the launch in mid-September won't do any harm.
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