Apple's iOS 26 Public Beta Expected This Week as Rumored Amidst First iOS 27 Reports

The release of Apple's iOS 26 Public Beta is expected to take place this week, and this specific report was reinforced by the same analyst who initially mentioned this upcoming release. The current and only way to get iOS 26 as of writing is via the Developer Beta, which is meant for early adopters, testers, and app developers to try and use for their needs to create new experiences for iPhones.

However, the analyst has also made mention of the iOS 27, the next-generation operating system expected for 2026, even as development continues for the current generation.

Apple's iOS 26 Public Beta Is Expected This Week

The latest Power On newsletter by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman announced that the expected iOS 26 Public Beta release is still on track for this week. This means that users enrolled in the beta program may receive the public beta version of the new operating system for their compatible iPhones.

This follows up on a previous announcement from Apple claiming that the first public betas of its new operating systems, including iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, and more, are expected this July.

Last week, Gurman claimed that the timeline for iOS 26's public beta release is coming by July 23, but it is important to note that Apple has yet to confirm this version's arrival on Wednesday.

First iOS 27 Rumors

However, it was noted by MacRumors that Gurman's latest newsletter also shared information on the first iOS 27 rumors, with the analyst claiming that the next-gen version is entering development soon.

There are no exact dates yet as to when Apple will start working on iOS 27's development. It was revealed that Apple will focus on improving the software features of the operating system. It will also focus on tailoring it for the rumored iPhone Fold device, which is reportedly coming by the second half of 2026.

What to Expect from iOS 26

Apple's latest iPhone operating system is coming, but not all existing iPhones are getting the upgrade as there are models that will be left behind. In a previous report, it was revealed that Apple will only give the iOS 26 update to models beginning from iPhone 11 onwards, as well as the iPhone SE 2nd generation and onwards.

This means that the iPhone XS series and iPhone XR will reportedly be left behind.

There are plenty of features announced by Apple and discovered by testers or early insiders regarding iOS 26 apart from what the Cupertino tech giant unveiled during WWDC 2025. One of those features is for Messages, which will now get different categories for the texts they receive as it will now filter Unknown Senders, spam, and the primary messages.

Alongside this, the AirPods devices are also getting a significant upgrade via iOS 26, which will detect if a user falls asleep and automatically "Pause Media" playing on the wireless audio devices, including Beats.

These are only some of what Apple has to offer for iOS 26, as many built-in apps are also getting a significant upgrade, including the likes of Photos, Camera, Maps, and more.