Apple on Tuesday released the first beta of iOS 26.2 to developers, and it appears that the software will allow users in Japan to install alternative app marketplaces on their devices when it is released to the public in December.
According to a post shared on X by @Tzzlala, iPhones running the beta in Japan are able to install alternative app stores like AltStore PAL and Epic Games, and download apps from them, though Fortnite in-app purchases are currently region-blocked by Epic.
Apple only lets iPhone and iPad users based in the EU to install apps using alternative app marketplaces in addition to the App Store. The ability was introduced in iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 18 in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act, and Apple does not currently allow it in any regions outside the 27-member bloc. However, that's set to change.
In June 2024, the Japanese parliament approved and enacted legislation that requires Apple to allow third-party app stores and payment providers on the iPhone. The law seeks to curb the dominance of major tech firms like Apple in the smartphone market.
More recently, in August 2025, the Japan Fair Trade Commission established the Mobile Software Competition Act Guidelines. Under the new guidelines, platform operators like Apple and Google are banned from blocking or restricting the availability of alternative app stores and payment systems on their mobile operating systems.
The guidelines are set to come into effect by December 18, 2025, while Apple is expected to release iOS 26.2 in December, sometime between December 9 and December 16. Epic Games has already announced plans to bring Fortnite and its game store platform to iOS in Japan by late 2025.
Apple doesn't release an "Ultra" variant for every Apple silicon chip, but the company is planning to debut an M5 Ultra chip in 2026, reports Bloomberg.
The M5 Ultra is slated for the Mac Studio, and it's also likely that Apple will use it in a Mac Pro update. There's no word on when the M5 Ultra might come out, but historically, Ultra chips have followed the Pro and Max chip variants.
Apple already debuted the M5 chip in the MacBook Pro, but we'll be waiting until early 2026 for the M5 Pro and the M5 Max. The M5 Ultra will likely come after that, perhaps in June or even September 2026.
Earlier this year, Apple decided to launch an updated Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chip options, making it clear there was no M4 Ultra. Ultra chips are two Max chips fused together with "UltraFusion" technology, but the M4 Max chip does not have the UltraFusion connector needed for an M4 Ultra chip.
Apple also made it clear that it did not plan to create a high-end Ultra chip for every M-series generation.
There are no other rumors of new features for the Mac Studio, so the M5 Ultra update might be focused on internal improvements. Apple is rumored to be developing a pair of new displays, and at least one of those could launch alongside the Mac Studio in 2026.
Apple today detailed the tools it is providing developers for compliance with the App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420) that goes into effect in Texas in 2026.
Starting on January 1, 2026, Apple users in Texas will need to confirm whether they are 18 years or older when creating an Apple account, and parents will need to provide consent for their children's App Store downloads and in-app transactions. Apple will share user age ranges for developers, and developers will need to have systems for notifying parents about significant app changes and allowing parents to revoke child access to an app at any time.
To help developers meet these requirements, Apple is adding several new APIs in iOS 26.2, and sandbox testing is now available for them.
Declared Age Range
Declared Age Range provides an app with a user's age category rather than a specific age. Categories include under 13, 13-15, 16-17, and over 18. Apple says that the API will also provide developers with a signal from the user's device about the method of age assurance, such as a credit card or government ID.
Significant Change
The Significant Change API prompts parents or guardians to provide consent for a child or teen to continue using an app after a "significant change" is made. Apple says that developers will need to determine when there's a significant change in their apps to comply with the law.
The API will prompt the child or teen to request parental consent, and developers can restrict app access until consent is given.
Changing the age rating of an app is one example of a significant change that would require developers to re-obtain consent.
Consent Revocation
Texas parents and guardians can withdraw consent for any app, which blocks the launch of the app on a child or teen's device. Apple says that the App Store will provide a server notification that developers can configure to receive notifications that consent has been withdrawn from an app.
It's been almost two months since Apple released the AirPods Pro 3, and MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using them since they came out. He has some new thoughts to share on longer-term AirPods Pro 3 use, so check out our video if you're thinking of picking up a pair for the holidays.
There have been recent reports from some people who are experiencing an ongoing static issue with the AirPods Pro 3, so that's something to be aware of. Apple does seem to be replacing affected units for customers who are bothered by the noise, which appears to be audible when ANC is active but no sound is playing.
Other users have been hearing a high-pitched whine when on airplanes, which could be related to pressure. Not all AirPods Pro 3 units are experiencing the issue, but it sounds like Apple is looking into it.
The AirPods Pro 3 offer excellent sound quality and noise cancellation capabilities, and for some people, the fit is much better than the AirPods Pro 2. Battery life has held up well in our testing, and the heart rate sensor offers readings almost identical to the Apple Watch.
What do you think of the AirPods Pro 3 if you've been using them since launch? Let us know in the comments below.
The Daily Cash bonus is available when booking a rental car at U.S. Hertz corporate locations through the app or the website. Hertz is also offering Apple Card users free emergency roadside service, a discounted loss damage waiver ($16.95 per day), one free additional driver, and at least 5% off Pay Later base rates.
To get these benefits, Apple Card holders will need to visit the Rewards and Offers Hub in the Wallet app. 3% Daily Cash back is not available through Hertz franchise locations, and other limitations are listed in the fine print on Apple's website.
Hertz is one of several companies that Apple has partnered with to offer special cash back rates for Apple Card users when using Apple Pay and the Apple Card for a purchase.
Other merchants that offer 3% Daily Cash back include Ace Hardware, Booking.com, ChargePoint, Duane Reade, Exxon and Mobil gas stations, Nike, Uber, Uber Eats, and Walgreens. Apple Card holders can also get 3% Daily Cash from Apple purchases.
Apple Pay purchases earn Apple Card holders 2% cash back by default, with 1% cash back available for non-Apple Pay purchases.
Nomad today updated its popular Stand One and Stand One Max chargers to add Qi2 support. Qi2 allows compatible iPhones to charge at up to 25W, matching the 25W charging speed of Apple's newest MagSafe chargers.
The $119 Stand One can charge an iPhone at up to 25W using the iPhone charging surface, and it can also charge the AirPods at the base of the device. It comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable, but you'll need to supply your own 40W+ power adapter.
The $159 Stand One Max has a design similar to the Stand One, but it also includes an Apple Watch charging puck. It can charge an iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch at the same time. As with the Stand One, a USB-C cable is included, but a power adapter is not.
Both chargers are available in either silver or carbide, and they support charging an iPhone in portrait or landscape orientation. In landscape mode, StandBy is supported.
Apple today launched a winter-themed Apple Pay promotion, offering users a $25 discount on a purchase of $150 or more from Columbia.
If you spend $150+ on the Columbia website and then use Apple Pay when checking out, you can get $25 off your purchase. No promo code is required. Apple says that products from the Amaze Puff Collection and the ROC collection are excluded from the offer, but it is valid on other items from the website.
The discount is not available at Columbia retail stores or outlet stores, and it cannot be combined with other offers.
The Apple Pay promotion will be available until November 16, 2025.
Just a day after launching iOS 26.1, Apple is ready to test the next update, iOS 26.2. iOS 26.2 brings AirPods Live Translation to the EU, introduces changes to Reminders, adds a Lock Screen Liquid Glass slider, and more.
We've rounded up all of the new iOS 26.2 features that we've found so far.
Lock Screen
There is a Liquid Glass slider on the Lock Screen that lets you customize the appearance of the clock. When using the "Glass" option, you can use the slider to make the time look almost entirely clear, or give it a more frosted look.
There continues to be a separate Solid toggle that turns off the Liquid Glass appearance for the clock entirely if you want to opt for a much more opaque design, and you can also still use the color options for the clock.
Sleep Score
With iOS 26.2 and watchOS 26.2, Apple has adjusted the ranges for the Sleep Score feature that it introduced earlier this year. The new Sleep Score numbers better match how people might be feeling after a night of sleep.
These are the new scores:
Very Low - 0-40 (previously 0-29)
Low - 41-60 (previously 30-49)
OK - 61-80 (previously 50-69)
High - 81-95 (previously 70-89)
Very High - 96-100 (previously 90-100)
The "Very High" rank used to be "Excellent," but Apple changed the name to be more in line with the other labels.
Sleep Scores are available on all Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 26.2 and can be found in the Health app on the iPhone. Apple designed Sleep Score to provide an overall sense of sleep patterns, so users can identify habits that might impact their sleep.
Sleep Score takes into account sleep duration, bedtime, and interruptions to assign a nightly score that represents sleep quality. Duration is worth 50 points, bedtime is worth 30, and interruptions (times woken up in the night) are worth 20, for a total of 100 possible points each night.
Passwords
In the Settings section of the Passwords app, there's now an option to manage websites where passwords are not saved when signing in.
AirPods Live Translation for EU
iOS 26.2 expands AirPods Live Translation to the European Union. Apple had to delay the feature in the EU to complete the engineering work needed to comply with the requirements of the Digital Markets Act.
AirPods Live Translation works with the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is available in English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional Mandarin), Japanese, and Korean at the current time.
Freeform
The Freeform app now supports Tables.
Reminders
In the Reminders app, there's a new option to have an alarm go off when a reminder is due. Setting up an alarm can be done by toggling on the "Urgent" option when creating a reminder.
When a Reminder alarm activates, it displays a snooze option or a slide to stop option. If you snooze it, it will show a countdown on the Lock Screen that includes an option to complete the reminder or reschedule it. Apple distinguishes Reminders alarms from standard alarms with a new blue color.
Podcasts
The Podcasts app adds support for three new features, including automatically created chapters, options to see mentions of other podcasts from the transcript and the player, and access to links mentioned in a podcast on the episode page.
AirDrop
Though not live, iOS 26.2 includes multiple references to a new AirDrop feature. It will allow two people to send a PIN to one another, and the special code will enable AirDrop for the next 30 days.
AirDrop is limited to 10 minutes for people who are not in your contacts, so this setting could extend that period.
Weather
There is also code suggesting that the Weather app now supports relative time for alerts like "next Friday," or "next Tuesday" in reference to upcoming rain or weather conditions.
Apple News
Apple updated the design of Apple News, adding quick access top buttons for categories like sports, puzzles, politics, business, and food.
There's also a dedicated tab for Following, which has been decoupled from the search interface.
Flash for Alerts
The Flash for Alerts option in the Accessibility section of the Settings app now allows users to have the screen flash. Previously, this setting was limited to the LED on the back of the iPhone.
Users can swap to the screen flash or have both flash at the same time when notifications come in.
Enhanced Safety Alerts
In the Notifications section of the Settings app, there's an Enhanced Safety Alerts section for managing earthquake alerts, imminent threat alerts, and activating improved alert delivery, a feature that uses location to improve the reliability of alerts.
Download iOS 26.2
iOS 26.2 is available for developers right now, but a public beta is likely coming later this week. You can sign up for public beta testing by visiting Apple's beta website.
Compatibility
iOS 26.2 is available on all iPhones that support iOS 26.
Release Date
We're expecting Apple to release iOS 26.2 in December, sometime between December 9 and December 16.
Delta recently added support for iOS 26's upgraded boarding pass experience in the Apple Wallet app, according to MacRumors reader Aaron Binner.
This appears to be a server-side change across all iOS 26 versions.
The upgraded boarding passes have an option to turn on Live Activities, allowing you to keep track of your flight at a glance on your iPhone's Lock Screen, and in the Dynamic Island. You can also share the Live Activities widget with others.
In addition, new shortcuts provide one-tap access to Apple Maps for airport directions, and to the Find My app for baggage tracking.
Finally, the Wallet app automatically updates flight details, such as the gate and departure time.
United has offered the upgraded boarding passes for at least a month. In June, Apple said eight other airlines would eventually offer them, including Air Canada, American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, Lufthansa, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar.
With iOS 26.2, Apple is updating the Podcasts app to add a trio of new features and updated tools for podcast creators.
All English podcast shows will now get automatically created chapters, which makes it easier to navigate through them. Apple says that automatic chapters will also make it simpler for users to understand an episode's structure and return to specific sections that interest them.
Apple will use podcast chapters submitted by creators if they're available, but if not, Apple Podcasts will generate them by default. Podcast creators can turn off the setting in Apple Podcasts Connect.
When a podcast episode mentions another podcast, there will be an option to view the mention in the podcast player and the transcript, making it easier to find recommendations. Podcast pages will also show links shared in a podcast on the episode page.
On the creator side, podcasters can offer links to Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Podcasts, Apple TV, and more. Links that are timestamped and included in show notes or through an RSS feed will appear in line with the transcript and the player while the link is being discussed. Apple says that links may also be automatically created for any podcast that's mentioned.
iOS 26.2 is limited to developers right now, but Apple will likely provide a public beta later this week. iOS 26.2 will launch in December.
In iOS 26.2, there's a new Liquid Glass slider that lets you customize the appearance of the clock. When you select the "Glass" option, you can use the new slider to make the time look almost entirely clear, or give it a more frosted, solid look.
There continues to be a separate Solid toggle that turns off the Liquid Glass appearance for the clock entirely if you want to opt for a much more opaque design.
Apple has been adding Liquid Glass customization options, most recently introducing a "Tinted" toggle in iOS 26.1 that makes notifications and in-app buttons much more opaque for those who don't care for the Liquid Glass transparency.
Many iPhone users have been asking for a Liquid Glass slider to customize the intensity of Liquid Glass throughout iOS 26, but it's not clear if Apple plans to expand the slider beyond the Lock Screen.
Apple is planning an Apple Watch Activity Challenge for Veterans Day, which takes place next Tuesday in the United States. Apple Watch owners are tasked with doing any workout for 11 minutes or more on November 11.
Apple Watch owners who complete the challenge will win an Apple Watch activity award in the Fitness app.
Earn this award on November 11 by doing any workout for 11 minutes or more. Record your time with the Workout app or any app that adds workouts to Health.
Like all of Apple's Activity Challenges, the Veterans Day challenge will reward users with animated stickers that can be used in the Messages app.
Apple does a Veterans Day Activity Challenge on an annual basis, and the company also often provides Veterans Day-themed content in the App Store, Apple TV app, Books app, and more.
In iOS 26.2, there's a new option to set an alarm to go off when creating a reminder in the Reminders app. When adding a reminder, selecting a time and then toggling on the "Urgent" option will cause an alarm to go off at the designated time.
Alarms that you set in the Clock app can also be integrated into the Reminders app by allowing the app to access Alarms in the Settings app.
When a Reminder alarm activates, it displays a snooze option or a slide to stop option. If you snooze it, it will show a countdown on the Lock Screen that includes an option to complete the reminder or reschedule it. Tapping to complete the reminder opens up the Reminders app where you need to tap again.
In the Reminders section of the Settings app, you can also opt to remove the snooze option and replace it with a Complete button to immediately mark it as complete. Apple distinguishes Reminders alarms from standard alarms with a new blue color.
The upcoming iOS 26.2 update for iPhone makes the Live Translation on AirPods feature available in the EU, according to Apple. The news was also reported by various publications, including the German blog Macerkopf.
Live Translation allows you to understand someone who is speaking a different language than you. For example, if you speak English, and someone is speaking to you in French, Siri can tell you what they are saying in English through your AirPods.
The feature works best when both participants in a conversation are using Live Translation on AirPods. If you are talking with someone who is not wearing AirPods, you can display a live transcription in the other person's language on your iPhone.
Live Translation is available on the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and higher-end AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. The feature launched in the U.S. and select other countries with iOS 26, but it was not available in the EU until now, as Apple said it needed additional time to ensure compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act.
The feature can be used in the EU starting with the first iOS 26.2 beta, which was seeded to developers earlier today. A public beta of iOS 26.2 will soon follow, and Apple said the update will be released to all users in December.
In addition to compatible AirPods, users need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer with Apple Intelligence turned on and Apple's Translate app installed.
As of iOS 26.1, Live Translation on AirPods supports the following languages:
English (U.S.)
English (U.K.)
French (France)
German (Germany)
Portuguese (Brazil)
Spanish (Spain)
Chinese — Simplified (China)
Chinese — Traditional (China)
Japanese
Korean
Italian
iOS 26 also has a built-in Live Translation feature in the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps, with no AirPods required.
watchOS 26.2 and iOS 26.2 tweak the Sleep Score feature that's available for the Apple Watch, changing the labeling for point ranges to better match how people might be feeling after a restless night of sleep.
The new scores are as follows:
Very Low - 0-40 (previously 0-29)
Low - 41-60 (previously 30-49)
OK - 61-80 (previously 50-69)
High - 81-95 (previously 70-89)
Very High - 96-100 (previously 90-100)
The "Very High" rank used to be "Excellent," but Apple changed the name to be more in line with the other labels.
At the current time, five or six hours of restless sleep can still earn a "High" score, even though most people probably aren't feeling their best with that amount of sleep.
Sleep Score is a watchOS 26 feature that takes into account sleep duration, bedtime, and interruptions to assign a nightly score that represents sleep quality. Duration is worth 50 points, bedtime is worth 30, and interruptions (times woken up in the night) are worth 20.
Apple intends for Sleep Score to provide an overall sense of sleep patterns, helping users to identify habits that might be impacting sleep. Sleep Score requires an Apple Watch, and it works on all Apple Watch models that support watchOS 26.
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a day after Apple released iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1.
Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update.
We don't yet know what's included in the new beta software, but given that these updates will be tested over the holiday period, Apple may be planning to focus on bug fixes and performance improvements rather than adding notable new features.
When we learn what's new in the updates, we'll share details.
iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 are limited to developers at the current time, but Apple will likely release a public beta in the next couple of days.
Apple today provided developers with the first betas of upcoming watchOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2, and visionOS 26.2 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a day after Apple launched the 26.1 versions of each platform.
The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required.
We don't know what new features might be added in watchOS 26.2, visionOS 26.2, and tvOS 26.2. Apple doesn't typically provide release notes for betas, so we might not know what's new until the software updates see a public launch unless there are outward-facing changes.
Apple will likely provide public beta testers with access to the tvOS 26.2 and watchOS 26.2 betas later this week, but visionOS 26.2 will remain limited to developers. The software updates will probably launch sometime between December 9 and December 16, given Apple's historical release timelines for .2 updates.
Apple is testing three new color options for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models, according to a known leaker, but they have since clarified that the company plans to move forward with only one of the three new finishes.
The color options that Apple is considering include burgundy, brown, and purple, according to Instant Digital, a user on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
The image above is merely a concept — the exact shades of the rumored colors are unknown.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models come in Silver, Cosmic Orange, and Deep Blue. It is unclear if Apple will reuse any of those colors next year.
If the special new color ends up being burgundy, it would be the first time that the Pro and Pro Max models are available in red, although it would be a deeper shade than Apple's charitable (PRODUCT)RED color for other past devices.
iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models were available in Deep Purple.
There has never been a truly brown iPhone.
Given the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September 2026, there is still plenty of time for Apple to finalize its color decisions.
