- Apple is pushing out the iOS 26.2 public beta 1 update for all supported devices.
- The update brings a translucency slider for the lockscreen clock, urgent reminder alarms, and sleep score changes.
- Furthermore, it also features a redesigned News app, changes to the Podcasts and Password app as well.
Surprisingly, Apple pushed out the first public beta for iOS 26.2 today. The new update brings a transparency slider for Liquid Glass on the lock screen, along with alarms for urgent reminders, improved sleep score, and changes to the News and Podcasts apps.
What’s New in iOS 26.2 Public Beta 1?
Just days after the official release of iOS 26.1 , Apple decided to drop iOS 26.2 public beta 1. As with other updates, this one adds minor tweaks to improve the Liquid Glass look and brings some changes to other apps. Here’s everything new in this update.
Image Credit: Macrumors
- New slider to adjust the lockscreen clock widget’s translucency. It supports all font styles.
- Apple has also adjusted the sleep score in this update, changing the excellent rating to ‘Very high’ and adjusting the sleep rating after criticism from users.
- The News app has received a design revamp, showing quick access buttons for categories like sports, puzzles, politics, business, and food.
- There’s a new setting in the Password app to manage websites where passwords are not saved when signing in.
- You can now set alarms for Reminders by turning on the ‘Urgent’ toggle.
- Apple finally brings the AirPods Live Translation feature to the EU, complying with the Digital Markets Act.
- iOS 26.2 also adds tables to the Freeform app.
- The Podcasts app adds automatically created chapters, mentions of related podcasts, and access to links mentioned during one.
Besides these changes, the iOS 26.2 update also features an Enhanced Safety Alerts section for imminent threats and the ability to flash the iPhone display for alerts. You can get the new update if you have signed up to receive public beta updates on your device.
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 is close to finalizing a $1 billion deal with Google to use Gemini to power the next-gen Siri.
- It will use a custom version of Gemini AI, which will be used temporarily until Apple develops its own powerful AI model.
- The new AI-powered Siri is slated to launch sometime next spring.
Apple is reportedly set to close an estimated $1 billion annual deal with its rival, Google, to use a custom version of the Gemini AI model to power the next version of Siri. Apple is lagging behind major companies in the AI race so this might help the Cupertino giant to make a comeback.
Apple Turns to Gemini to Power Its AI-Powered Siri
This detail comes from Bloomberg , which reports that Apple is turning to Google’s Gemini as a temporary solution until its own AI model catches up with the rest of the industry. Once ready, it will be used to power a host of new Apple Intelligence features which the company has in the pipeline.
For context, the custom version of Google’s Gemini AI model has about 1.2 trillion parameters , which far exceeds Apple’s current cloud-based AI model which are trained on 150 billion parameters. This shows that Gemini can handle far complex tasks and commands compared to Apple’s in-house model.
Image Credit: Beebom
Typically, the Cupertino Giant prefers to make things on its own, but it has been lagging in the AI race behind several major companies and startups. Apple had plans to acquire Perplexity , and even held talks with OpenAI , but it seems like Gemini is the best fit the company has found for its AI-powered Siri , which is scheduled to come out sometime next spring.
However, there is still some time till then, and Apple’s plan could still change if the deal doesn’t go through.
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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