Apple Releases iOS 26.1 Beta 2: All the New Features for iPhone Users

Apple has just introduced iOS 26.1 Beta 2, featuring refined design updates, enhanced AI capabilities, and improved overall system performance. This release builds on the first beta that launched a couple of weeks back and underscores Apple’s ongoing efforts to refine iOS 26 for a smoother, smarter experience ahead of its anticipated public release later this month.

What’s New in iOS 26.1 Beta 2

A major draw of this beta is the expanded deployment of Apple Intelligence, now accessible in languages such as Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese. This expansion signifies Apple’s commitment to broadening the global reach of its AI functionalities.

The AirPods Live Translation feature now supports Japanese, Korean, Italian, in addition to both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified Chinese, facilitating more natural live conversation translations.

Other notable updates encompass:

• Redesigned Text Selection Menu: Copying, pasting, and formatting text is now smoother and easier to navigate.
• Enhanced Lock Screen Animations: The lock screen now shows updated album art and more fluid transitions.
• Smarter Home Widgets: Widgets now show indicators for unresponsive smart devices, helping with quick troubleshooting.
• Liquid Glass Expansion: The subtle glass effect now appears in the Phone app’s keypad.
• Apple Music Swipe Gesture: You can now switch tracks with a simple swipe.
• Visual Changes in Calendar, Safari, and Photos: Plus, a newly redesigned Downloads panel in Safari for easier file access.

Performance and Battery Life

Overall performance seeems to have improved, particularly on the latest iPhone models. Initial assessments suggest enhanced multitasking and reduced app launch times. However, battery longevity still appears to be a work in progress. Devices with 88% battery health report approximately 6.5 hours of screen time, indicating that Apple is still fine-tuning power efficiency.

Release Schedule

Apple continues its regular beta update cadence, with Beta 3 and 4 anticipated before the month’s end. The public rollout of iOS 26.1 is expected in late October or early November, alongside updates for iPadOS, macOS Tahoe, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS.

Further down the line, Apple aims to release iOS 26.2 by mid-December, which might deliver more substantial features and enhancements.

At present, iOS 26.1 Beta 2 aims to smooth out the edges, offering a more cohesive and fluid iPhone experience as the groundwork for future updates.

Does this update appeal to you? We’d love to hear your thoughts below.