- Apple is rolling out the iOS 26 Beta 2 update for all devices enrolled in the Developer Beta program.
- The update finally fixes the lack of background blur effect when pulling down the Control Center.
- It also brings new Accessibility options, a new Radio widget, order tracking in Apple Wallet, and more.
When the first Developer Beta of iOS 26 rolled out, users started installing it on their iPhones. But rather than seeing a polished new interface, they were met with a pretty incomplete build of iOS with jarring issues that are to be expected in the first beta. Now, Apple is rolling out the second beta of iOS 26, addressing those issues for good.
The Cupertino giant is pushing out the second beta of iOS 26 with some much-needed fixes and some new features. Here’s everything new in the iOS 26 Beta 2 update:
Finally Fixing the Control Center
Everyone who installed the first beta kept pointing out the lack of background blur when you pull down the Control Center. Forgetting the fact that it is the first developer build, people were quick to hate on Liquid Glass just because of this issue. Thankfully, Apple has fixed it, adding more blur for a pleasant look, which significantly improves readability as well.
Order Tracking in Apple Wallet
During WWDC, Apple announced an upcoming order tracking feature for the Apple Wallet, which is now live with beta 2. There is an option here to allow Siri to check your mail for arriving orders, even if they were not paid for with Apple Pay, and it should show up in the app itself.
Accessibility Section in App Store
Apple is adding a new Accessibility section in an app’s preview pages on the App Store. This will require app developers to inform what accessibility features their app supports, which can be helpful for the users.
New Liquid Glass Ringtone
To go with the Liquid Glass motif, Apple has also included a new ringtone in the iOS 26 beta 2. It is called “Alt 1” and it can be found within Settings > Sound & Haptics > Ringtone > Reflection > Alt 1.
Live Radio Widget from Apple Music
The last big change we could spot is the new Live Radio widget available in Apple Music . This will help you jump-start your favorite Live radios right from the widget itself.
Other than that, the iOS 26 beta 2 also changes the description for the Low Power Mode, brings back the new tab button in Safari down to the bottom left, and renames the Transcribe Calls option to Save Call Transcripts. I also noticed that the performance with the Liquid Glass effect has become a bit smoother, but that could just be me.
With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.
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- Apple and Google have officially confirmed their team-up for the next-gen Siri AI.
- The Cupertino Giant will be using Google’s Gemini for a more personalized Siri model as well as Apple Intelligence features.
- We can expect the next-gen Siri to come out with iOS 26.4, sometime in March or April.
Apple has officially confirmed joining forces with Google to use its Gemini AI model to power the next-generation Siri. It will offer a more personalized experience and will be coming out with the iOS 26.4 update. Apple also plans to leverage Gemini’s capabilities for other Apple Intelligence features as well, later down the line.
The Next-Gen Siri will be powered by Google’s Gemini AI
Apple officially confirmed that it will be partnering with Google in a statement to CNBC . Here’s what it stated, “After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models, and we’re excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users.”
Later, Google also shared a post on X confirming the tie-up, “Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.”
Image Credit: X/@NewsFromGoogle
Both statements clearly mention that the Cupertino Giant will be using Gemini to power its assistant Siri. This was already rumored, as Apple’s attempts to acquire Perplexity went nowhere. With Gemini, Siri will get a major AI update . It will be able to handle more nuanced conversations and provide better results. Something long-time Apple users have been asking for years.
The next-gen Siri will arrive with the iOS 26.4 update, which will launch sometime in March or April. And it is only going to be available for Apple Intelligence-supported devices .
Something else worth noting is how Google’s statement mentions that Gemini will power Apple Intelligence features. This leads us to believe that Apple could use Gemini’s multi-modal capabilities for its Writings tools , Image Playground , and Message summaries, too.
Elon Musk Not Happy With Apple and Google Tie Up
xAI CEO Elon Musk also responded to Google’s announcement post on X, sharing his thoughts on the matter by saying, “This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that they also have Android and Chrome.” Though we don’t expect either Apple or Google to respond to Elon, we will update the situation as it progresses.
It is worth noting that xAI is the company behind Grok, which is in hot water currently due to its inappropriate image generation fiasco , and has been getting backlash from multiple news outlets, X users, and even government authorities.
With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.
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