Apple has just released the second beta of its upcoming iOS 26 software.
Although the iOS 26 beta is not officially public yet and is only available to those with an Apple Developer account, it’s still interesting to see how the upcoming software update is progressing.
Considering the official iOS 26 launch isn’t until later this year, there are understandably multiple tweaks and new features that can be found in its second beta release. We’ve rounded up some of the new tools below.
Keen to try iOS 26 and don’t want to wait until fall? Our guide on how to download iOS 26 beta has all the steps you need to get started. Our iOS 26 features guide provides a comprehensive overview of the upcoming release.
Updated Liquid Glass design
One of the main features of the iOS 26 update is its Liquid Glass design, which promises to reflect and refract its surroundings while “dynamically transforming to help bring greater focus to content”.
Essentially, it behaves like glass, offering layers of transparent icons, menus, playback controls, and nearly every other facet of the iOS experience.
iOS 26 beta 2 has introduced some minor yet thoughtful adjustments to Liquid Glass. Most notably, when the Control Centre is open, the background is now slightly blurred, which makes it easier to see the controls.
Journal
The Journal app, which first launched back in December 2023, has seen some new features with the iOS 26 beta 2 update. According to Apple’s release notes, Journal will now provide smart notifications which lets users know the optimum time to journal, which is based on their routine and location.
Users can also securely sync journaling suggestions from iPhone over iCloud to iPads. Speaking of suggestions, they can now show “scene classification and inferences such as Holidays and Celebrations”.
Wallet
Easily one of our most anticipated feature launches of iOS 26, beta 2 adds full support for the order tracking feature. Apple’s Wallet app will now find emails sent by businesses or delivery carriers and add all order progress into one place.
Just keep in mind that this feature is only available on Apple Intelligence-enabled devices.
Accessibility features in the App Store
Apple has introduced a new Accessibility section to the App Store’s product pages, which aims to highlight accessibility features within apps and games, allowing developers to better inform and educate their users.
Coined “Accessibility Nutrition Labels” as per Apple’s Release Notes, this gives users a new way to learn if an app will be accessible before they download it.
A brand new ringtone
If you’re someone who keeps their phone on silent at all times, then perhaps the introduction of Apple’s latest ringtone might sway you. As shown in the tweet below, there’s a new preset ringtone with iOS 26.
