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iOS 26.6 Beta 2 is Out! - What's New?

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Technology

Summary of iOS 26.6 Beta 2 (and related OS betas) — what’s new

Release timing & availability

  • iOS 26.6 Beta 2 has been released by Apple for developers.
  • Public Beta 2 is expected within ~24 hours of the developer release (or later this week).
  • Supported devices: iOS 26.6 works on all devices that support iOS 26.
  • Upgrade limitation: if you’re already on iOS 27 beta 1, you won’t see iOS 26.6 Beta 2 (you’re on a newer OS line).
  • Downgrade note: installing iOS 26.6 Beta 2 from iOS 27 beta 1 would require a computer and a downgrade process.

Download size / install behavior

  • Reported download size was very large (~16.68 GB on an iPhone 17 Pro Max), but the host suspects the number is incorrect (similar to Beta 1).
  • Others reportedly see installs around ~3 GB or less.
  • The host notes that a full OS reinstall would likely be much larger and slower.

Other Apple platforms updated

Alongside iOS, the following were also mentioned as updated to Beta 2:

  • iPadOS 26.6
  • macOS 26.6
  • tvOS 26.6
  • HomePod OS 26.6
  • watchOS 26.6
  • visionOS 26.6

Also mentioned:

  • macOS 15 and macOS 14 updates to RC2.

Build/version info

  • Users can check: Settings > General > Software Update > Version details
  • Build number: 23G5043D
  • There may be another beta or two before the final release.

Feature changes (visible vs. under-the-hood)

No major visible new features

  • The host reports no obvious UI-facing changes, but expects behind-the-scenes refinement consistent with Apple’s broader OS work.

End-to-end encryption status

  • End-to-end encryption remains in beta in this build.

Contacts blocking limit (new/confirmed limitation)

  • In Contacts, blocking appears to hit a maximum number.
  • Reported figures: ~3,000 contacts (others suggest it may be higher).
  • The host believes there is a hard limit.
  • Once the limit is reached, users see a message indicating the cap has been hit.
  • The host speculates the limit may relate to memory/performance constraints.

“Stolen device” quick-grab protection (work in progress)

  • iPhone may be prepared to detect when someone quickly grabs the phone to steal it, then autolock.
  • The host does not yet see the related Settings option.
  • Where it might appear: Privacy & Security, possibly near “Stolen Device Protection.”
  • Testing is pending until the feature becomes available/configurable.

Games splash screen tweak

  • A more recent “Games” splash/interstitial may show messaging such as:
    • “Recently downloaded”
    • “Achievements”
    • “Score updates”
  • The host describes this as a minor splash-screen/data UI update noticed in Beta 2.

Bug fixes and issues noted

Region selection application bug fixed

  • Apple fixed an issue where a region was not applied correctly after being previously selected.

Widget “rerering” / reboot behavior fixed

  • A prior bug: tapping a widget, tapping out, then tapping the dots at the bottom could trigger rerender/restart-like behavior.
  • The host reports it is resolved and could not reproduce it.
  • Weather widgets (especially smaller sizes) were a common repro path.

CarPlay status

  • No complaints reported so far.
  • The host notes CarPlay appears better in iOS 27, but Beta 2 status needs continued confirmation.

Wallpaper saturation bug (possible remaining/uncertain)

  • Wallpaper saturation may desaturate and resaturate during scrolling.
  • The host thought it was fixed in iOS 27, but reports are mixed—unclear whether it’s fixed here.

Known issue in release notes (stickers)

  • Public release notes mention a sticker corruption issue:
    • can prevent creating stickers or viewing existing ones
    • can persist to other devices via iCloud sync
  • The host notes Apple hadn’t updated Beta 2 release notes yet, so applicability to this specific beta is uncertain.

Performance, thermal, battery, and benchmarks (review-style testing)

Overall stability / smoothness

  • The host highlights noticeably smoother interactions:
    • unlocking and scrolling maintain speed
    • reduced stutter (e.g., swiping back home previously stuttered; may still occur later over time)

Thermals

  • Using a thermal camera, the phone appears cool:
    • ~30°C, up to ~31°C
  • Benchmarks were not running during the thermal measurement.

Battery test (screen active/idle)

  • Battery testing was performed on a secondary device; the host describes battery performance as good.
  • Example from another iPhone 17 Pro Max (sent by “Connor”):
    • 5h 15m screen active
    • 2h 44m screen idle
    • 55% battery used
  • Host device battery health:
    • 100% capacity, 22 cycles

Geekbench results (most impressive part)

  • After updating, the host ran benchmarks (fresh installs often yield lower scores).
  • Reported peaks:
    • Single-core: 3,94
    • Multi-core: 10,37
  • The host claims these are the highest benchmarks they’ve seen on their testing and suggests iOS 26.6 betas are performing very well.

Update guidance & roadmap expectations

Should you install iOS 26.6 Beta 2?

  • If you’re already on iOS 26.6 Beta 1, the host recommends updating, stating Beta 1 is already good and Beta 2 continues that trend.

Expected next releases (timing predictions)

  • Expect iOS 26.5.2 before iOS 26.6 final.
  • Possible next betas:
    • iOS 26.6 Beta 3 and iOS 27 Beta 2 next week (with iOS 27 Beta 2 around the 22nd mentioned)
    • Possible public iOS 26.6 Beta in early July
  • Final iOS 26.6 public release: sometime in July, with more betas through summer.
  • iOS 27 launch is likely in September alongside a new iPhone cycle.

Main speakers / sources

  • Aaron (zolotete) — primary speaker and tester/reviewer.
  • “Connor” — source of an iPhone (battery usage/cycle info).

Original video