watchOS 26, tvOS 26, And visionOS 26 Beta 8 Now Available To Developers
Following the release of watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 beta 7 last week, Apple is reaching the end of the testing period, as beta 8 has just been released for Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro developers. We'll keep an eye out for new features, but Apple is surely making the final fixes ahead of the Release Candidate releases of these upcoming operating system updates.
All of these updates focus on the new Liquid Glass design, as Apple wants to bring a more unified UI to its hardware. Apple Watch users will soon discover that the company tweaked several parts of the UI with watchOS 26, including a new look for the passcode screen, the Control Center, and the Notification Center. Opening up the Workouts app with the Action Button on Apple Watch Ultra features a new UI as well.
Owners of the Apple Watch Series 9 or newer with an iPhone 15 Pro or newer will also be able to take advantage of the new Workout Buddy feature, an AI-powered health coach for outdoor running and strength training.
tvOS 26 and visionOS 26 are almost ready with beta 8
For Apple TV users, tvOS 26 beta 8 brings a revamped Apple TV app, which Apple believes will improve the discovery process. Additionally, there's a new feature that should make it more straightforward to log in to streaming services.
Currently, rumors suggest Apple is planning to introduce a new Apple TV soon, and this feature could be especially useful for those upgrading to the latest and greatest set-top box. That said, tvOS 26 also comes with new Apple Music features. Apple is adding Lyrics Translation, Lyrics Pronunciation, and the ability to use the iPhone as a microphone for Apple Music Sing sessions.
visionOS 26, on the other hand, focuses on spatial experiences. Apple highlights Spatial Widgets, Spatial Scenes, Spatial Browsing, and the all-new Personas, which look a lot more like the owner than the original versions. Alongside watchOS 27 beta 8, tvOS 26 beta 8, and visionOS 26 beta 8, Apple is seeding the eighth test versions of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe.