iOS 26 Speculation Thread

[Reeneman]

My bet, if you let me speculate, is that at this point we won’t be having any 26.2.1, we’ll have 26.3 RC instead during next week, along with the hardware releases that will come with OS 26.3 preinstalled.


Yeah, it is going to be interesting since, allegedly, it will be the version that will finally incorporate the first iteration of the new Siri-Intelligence experience (with the help of Google), right?

Agree with your speculation about 26.2.1
Think as well that this update has been cut by Apple.
And yes, 26.4 will bring the Gemini powered Siri curious which additional features are also included in this release and which features are shifted to later releases.

 

[Schtibbie]

Agree with your speculation about 26.2.1
Think as well that this update has been cut by Apple.
And yes, 26.4 will bring the Gemini powered Siri curious which additional features are also included in this release and which features are shifted to later releases.

Gemini Siri likely ONLY for those with newer phones, despite the Gemini stuff being all on the cloud side. So my iPhone 15 won’t get it.

 

[Kal Madda]

Gemini Siri likely ONLY for those with newer phones, despite the Gemini stuff being all on the cloud side. So my iPhone 15 won’t get it.

The models Apple is purchasing from Google are actually not Gemini models, but custom ones based on Gemini, which is an important distinction. And they’re interfacing with current Apple Intelligence on-device models, and many of the new models will also be on-device, so it will not all be on the cloud side. It will still be primarily on-device according to the reports. The models for the more personalized Siri are going to be on-device, for example…

 

[Kal Madda]

Agree with your speculation about 26.2.1
Think as well that this update has been cut by Apple.
And yes, 26.4 will bring the Gemini powered Siri curious which additional features are also included in this release and which features are shifted to later releases.

Yeah, at this point, I’m thinking possibly 26.3 RC beta this week, and 26.3 public release next week alongside new hardware. I don’t think they’re releasing a 26.2.1 update unless there’s some major security issue or something… 👍🏻

 

[Brettka7]

I really enjoyed the dark icons on iOS 18, but the reflective borders drive me so crazy on iOS 26 that after being unable to adapt for 6 months, I’ve gone back to light icons in dark mode. The app borders are what I truly, truly despise about this OS. Crazy that there’s no accessibility setting to disable them.

 

[iLuddite]

I really enjoyed the dark icons on iOS 18, but the reflective borders drive me so crazy on iOS 26 that after being unable to adapt for 6 months, I’ve gone back to light icons in dark mode. The app borders are what I truly, truly despise about this OS. Crazy that there’s no accessibility setting to disable them.

I wish they were just solid lines, at least in high-contrast mode. The bevel effect is really cheap-looking.

 

[Hamsterhjulet]

Either we get beta 3 or RC today or else we’ll have to wait until next week.