iOS 26.2 Release Date: Apple Confirms Next iPhone Update Timing

Apple just started beta testing iOS 26.2. At the same time, the company appears to have confirmed the update will be available to all iPhone users starting next month. In a press release to European countries, the company revealed that Live Translation on AirPods will expand to the EU next month to make "face-to-face conversations easier for users by helping them communicate even if they don't speak the same language."

AirPods Live Translation was one of the big features introduced during the iPhone 17 event. However, Apple didn't deliver the feature to users in the European Union due to the Digital Markets Act. That said, after expanding this functionality to even more languages with iOS 26.1, the company says it will finally be able to bring the feature to Europe in December.

In the press release announcing that iOS 26.2 is coming next month, Apple makes sure to blame the DMA for this delay: "The launch of Live Translate on AirPods has been delayed for users in the EU due to additional engineering required to comply with the requirements of the Digital Markets Act."

If Apple sticks to the same schedule that we've seen with previous beta releases, then iOS 26.2 should be available around the middle of December. After all, the company usually takes a couple of weeks between beta 1 and beta 2, and then makes weekly releases until beta 4. Over the past several years, here's when Apple has released iOS version x.2:

• iOS 18.2: Apple released this update on December 11, 2024 with Image Playground, Genmoji, and more.
• iOS 17.2: Apple released this update on December 11, 2023 with the Journal app and other improvements.
• iOS 16.2: Apple released this update on December 13, 2022 with the Freeform app, Apple Music Sing, and Advanced Data Protection.
• iOS 15.2: Apple released this update on December 13, 2021 with a new Privacy Report feature, and the already-discontinued Apple Music Voice plan.
• iOS 14.2: Apple released this update on November 5, 2020 with new emoji, new wallpapers, and more.

With that in mind, it's clear that users won't have to wait long until Apple makes iOS 26.2 available to everyone. For now, only the first iOS 26.2 beta is available, but we'll be keeping up with all of the changes to the software in the weeks to come.