Beta 2 of iOS 26.2 and macOS 26.2: Ring light, animations, and more
Apple has published the second developer beta of iOS 26.2, macOS 26.2, and more. It includes some new features.
Ring light in macOS 26.2 Beta 2: Virtual, but illuminates quite well.
(Image: Wolfgang Kreutz/ heise medien)
Apple released the second preview version of iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2 (as well as other betas) for developers on Wednesday evening. Since the Beta 1, which is just under a week old, a lot has happened. There are some new features, but Apple is also implementing some previously announced ones.
Screen provides light
On the Mac, Apple has added a virtual ring light to camera views. As soon as apps like FaceTime, Zoom, WebEx, or other video conferencing programs are activated, Apple places a light on the screen. It is called “Edge Light” because it is not perfectly round but oval, but it fulfills the function of a ring light. This is intended to illuminate the face while also placing a light effect in the eyes that can look attractive.
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However, the screen does not currently switch to HDR mode to make the light brighter, which Apple could still implement. Depending on the lighting conditions in the room, the function is helpful—or just a gimmick. Newer Macs (from 2024) can also automatically activate the Edge Light if the ambient brightness is too low. The ring light is adjusted and positioned using AI; if it is “touched” with the mouse cursor, there is a fading effect. Even the light temperature is adjustable.
Measuring tape, animations, availability
In iOS 26.2 Beta 2, Apple has, among other things, tweaked the Measure app. It now has a Liquid Glass design. The Games app gets a new sorting option by game size, there is a cool new animation for menus that Apple already showed at the WWDC 2025 developer conference, and CarPlay can now display pinned iMessage messages in the car.
macOS 26.2, iOS 26.2, and more are expected in December. In the EU, among other things, the new Live Translation will be activated. Apple is also likely to continue product maintenance in many areas; there are still unresolved bugs, inconsistencies, and other problems related to the new Liquid Glass interface. Furthermore, it is annoying that app providers have to take action to adapt their applications to the new look, which is unlikely to happen, especially with legacy apps.
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