iOS 8.2 May Be Released in March, Ahead of April Apple Watch Launch
Apple's next major iOS update, iOS 8.2, includes the WatchKit API and support for the Apple Watch, so it's been widely assumed that the software will launch alongside the device. According to sources that spoke to BGR, iOS 8.2 may not be released at the same time as the Apple Watch after all, coming instead in March.
An unspecified March release date means the software could come just a week or so ahead of the Apple Watch, or over a month, depending on the specific launch date of the Apple Watch. Tim Cook recently confirmed the Apple Watch will be released in April, but he did not narrow down the month-long timeframe. It is not clear why Apple might choose to launch the update ahead of the Apple Watch, as it is heavily focused on the device aside from some bug fixes and other minor improvements to the iOS 8 software.
As we reported last week, Apple has been asking some high-profile developers to have their Apple Watch apps ready by mid-February, a request that could be related to a potential March software launch and accompanying event.
BGR has been fairly accurate with its iOS release date predictions. The site correctly determined several iOS 7 beta release dates, most notably targeting March of 2014 for the launch of iOS 7.1, which turned out to be accurate. The site has, however, been wrong on some occassions, like when it inaccurately predicted the launch of iOS 7 beta 6 and beta 7.
Apple has seeded five iOS 8.2 betas to developers thus far, and the most recent beta was released just yesterday. We've already been seeing hints of what the Apple Watch will be capable of thanks to developer efforts thus far, and Apple Watch sightings have been picking up as employees in Cupertino test the device ahead of its launch.
Update 2:10 PM PT: 9to5Mac is also reporting that iOS 8.2 will be released in March, possibly during the second week of the month.
Popular Stories
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple will have a three-day stretch of product announcements from Monday, March 2 through Wednesday, March 4. In total, he expects Apple to introduce "at least five products."
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
A week ago, Apple invited selected journalists and content creators to an "Apple Experience" in...
Apple's software engineers are testing iOS 26.3.1, according to the MacRumors visitor logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions.
iOS 26.3.1 should be a minor update that fixes bugs and/or security vulnerabilities, and it will likely be released within the next two weeks.
Last month, Apple released iOS 26.2.1 with bug fixes and support for the second-generation...
The special new color that Apple is considering for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this year is red, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Specifically, he said that Apple is testing a "deep red" finish for the two devices.
If this rumor materializes, it would be the first time that the Pro and Pro Max models ever come in red, and the iPhone 18 Pro models would be the first...
Apple CEO Tim Cook was among a handful of top tech executives who attended a classified CIA briefing warning that China could attack Taiwan by 2027, according to a sweeping investigative report by The New York Times ($).
The previously unreported briefing was apparently held in a secure room in Silicon Valley in July 2023. The meeting is said to have been arranged at the request of the...
While the AirPods Pro 3 launched less than six months ago, it has been rumored that Apple plans to unveil new AirPods Pro this year.
Instead of AirPods Pro 4, it has been rumored that the new AirPods Pro will be a higher-end version of the AirPods Pro 3. This would be similar to the regular AirPods 4, which are available in two versions, with and without active noise cancellation....
