Apple Readies iOS 26.2 Beta with Passport Support and RCS Encryption

According to the latest reports, Apple is preparing to release the first developer beta of iOS 26.2 as early as this week, shortly after the expected public launch of iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 4, 2025. The iOS 26.2 beta will arrive alongside early beta versions for other Apple platforms, including iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS.

While the initial iOS 26.2 beta may not feature significant new additions, the update is expected to prioritize performance optimizations and background improvements rather than major feature overhauls. However, Apple has confirmed that it will be introducing two highly anticipated features with this update: US passport support in Apple Wallet and end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging.

The iOS 26.1 update, which is set to reach users on November 4, 2025, will introduce a new "tinted" option for the Liquid Glass feature, enhancing text readability while slightly reducing visual intensity. This is a relatively minor refresh overall, with the more substantial changes expected to arrive in the subsequent iOS 26.2 update.

Following Apple's typical release schedule, the stable version of iOS 26.2 is projected to become publicly available in December 2025 after several weeks of beta testing. This update is expected to bring smoother performance, bug fixes, and incremental system-wide improvements to eligible iPhone models.