Apple released second beta builds for iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, macOS Tahoe 26.3, watchOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and visionOS 26.3 today, four weeks after Beta 1 launched on December 15. The extended gap reflects the holiday break.

Beta 2 adds no new user-facing features. Early testing confirms this release focuses entirely on bug fixes and stability improvements, addressing issues discovered during the extended Beta 1 testing period.

Developer reports suggest potential improvements to Liquid Glass performance on older hardware and incremental CarPlay connectivity fixes, though these remain unconfirmed. The update is available now to registered developers, with public beta releases expected within days.

What Beta 1 Introduced

Since Beta 2 adds nothing new, here's what actually matters in iOS 26.3:

Transfer to Android

iOS 26.3's headline feature is a built-in migration tool developed with Google. Found at Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, it lets users wirelessly transfer photos, messages, contacts, notes, apps, and passwords to Android devices via QR code pairing.

What doesn't transfer: Health data, Bluetooth devices, locked notes, and protected photos. The feature works globally, though it clearly responds to EU regulatory pressure around platform lock-in.

Notification Forwarding for Third-Party Wearables (EU Only)

Settings > Notifications > Notification Forwarding now allows iPhone notifications on non-Apple smartwatches like Galaxy Watches and Garmin devices. The catch: notifications forward to only one device at a time, and enabling it disables Apple Watch notifications entirely.

Currently limited to the European Union under Digital Markets Act compliance. This is the first time Apple has provided system-level notification access to third-party wearables.

Weather Wallpaper Reorganization

Apple split "Weather & Astronomy" into separate Lock Screen wallpaper categories and added three pre-designed Weather presets with different fonts and widget layouts. Minor but appreciated for anyone who uses dynamic wallpapers.

Expected Release: Late January

Based on historical patterns, iOS 26.3 should launch the final week of January 2026, with Monday, January 26 the most likely date. Apple typically releases ".3" updates around this timeframe:

  • iOS 18.3: January 27, 2025
  • iOS 17.3: January 22, 2024
  • iOS 16.3: January 23, 2023

Expect additional beta releases before public launch, with a Release Candidate build likely appearing one week prior.

Looking Ahead: iOS 26.4 and the New Siri

iOS 26.4 will bring the more significant changes Apple held back from 26.3. The update will introduce the long-delayed upgraded Siri featuring Google Gemini integration for enhanced contextual understanding and more natural responses.

This marks an unusual Apple-Google partnership for core system functionality, though Apple emphasizes all processing occurs under Private Cloud Compute with Apple's privacy controls.

The Bottom Line

iOS 26.3 Beta 2 is a maintenance release—bug fixes only, no new features. The update's real story happened in Beta 1 with Transfer to Android and third-party wearable notification support, both clearly driven by EU regulatory pressure.

These changes mark a rare opening of Apple's ecosystem, though the company maintains control through limitations like one-device-at-a-time notification forwarding. Whether these concessions significantly impact user retention remains uncertain, but Apple apparently believes its remaining ecosystem advantages will prove sufficient.

For now, developers and beta testers get a stable refinement build. The public release arrives late January, setting the stage for iOS 26.4's more substantial Siri overhaul in spring.

iOS 26.3 Beta 2 is available to registered developers now. Public beta typically follows within days. Final release expected January 26, 2026.