iOS 26 Is Almost Here — Apple Drops What We Expect To Be the Final Beta Before Launch

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It looks like iOS 26 will be here before we know it

iOS 26 logo on top of the interface of an iPhone
(Image credit: Tom's Guide / Shutterstock / Apple)

Apple has released iOS 26 Public Beta 5 and Developer Beta 8. While there isn't much in terms of new features in the latest betas, these should be the last beta versions of iOS 26 before Apple releases the iOS 26 Release Candidate (the same version everyone will download when it launches). Exciting times, indeed!

How do we know these are likely to be the final beta versions of iOS 26? There are two key factors that indicate Apple is ready to release the final version. First, there are almost no differences between iOS 26 Developer Beta 7 and Beta 8 (and Public Beta 4 and Public Beta 5). That means Apple is making performance tweaks and fine-tuning the OS for the big time, rather than introducing new features.

Of course, we're dealing with unfinished software. There's always a chance Apple could discover a massive issue with iOS 26 — forcing it to release another beta to get things right. I'm running iOS 26 Public Beta 5 on my phone and I've actually noticed a slight performance improvement over the previous beta, which felt sluggish on my iPhone 14 Pro Max, but a complete overhaul is unlikely at this point.

We expect Apple to send out invitations to its event today — with the keynote rumored to take place on September 9. That means we can expect iOS 26 to launch on September 16 (exactly one week after the event, as is tradition for Apple).

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Dave LeClair
Dave LeClair
Senior News Editor

Dave LeClair is the Senior News Editor for Tom's Guide, keeping his finger on the pulse of all things technology. He loves taking the complicated happenings in the tech world and explaining why they matter. Whether Apple is announcing the next big thing in the mobile space or a small startup advancing generative AI, Dave will apply his experience to help you figure out what's happening and why it's relevant to your life.

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