A week ago, Apple released iOS 26.2.1. While this update was primarily issued to add support for the second-generation AirTag, several users are reporting that this version is packed with annoying issues that are disrupting the software. As spotted by The Mac Observer, users on Reddit, Threads, and the Apple Community Forums are complaining about a laundry list of issues for what was supposed to be a minor update ahead of iOS 26.3.
According to these users, saved places and favorites have stopped showing up in Apple Maps, Face ID is not working as intended with third-party apps, Control Center and HomeKit are buggier than usual, remaining storage is being incorrectly reported, apps are crashing, phones are rebooting, and battery drain is higher than normal.
While these issues with iOS 26.2.1 don’t seem widespread enough to affect a large portion of iPhone users, it’s still concerning that so many people are reporting such a wide variety of bugs, especially over four months since Apple rolled out iOS 26. Worse than that, the company recently stopped signing iOS 26.2, which means users can’t downgrade to the previous version.
iOS 26.3 should be coming soon
Historically, Apple releases version x.3 of its iOS update by the end of January or as early as the first week of February. That said, the company hasn’t even shipped the Release Candidate version of iOS 26.3 yet. Some reports speculate that Apple might be holding back the RC and even the final version as it plans to unveil the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro first.
However, there are other possible reasons for the delay. For instance, there’s a chance that Apple is running into technical difficulties implementing some of the latest Digital Markets Act features that will be exclusive to European iPhone users. It’s also possible that the company needs to push back the iOS 26.4 beta cycle, which is expected to introduce the new Siri powered by Gemini models.
One thing is for sure — iPhone users experiencing these issues with iOS 26.2.1 can’t do much other than wait for the official release of iOS 26.3. Interestingly enough, Apple’s latest software updates seem buggier than usual, as the company had to stop signing iOS 16.7.13 due to a bug that prevented users from an Australian carrier from connecting to 4G, sending messages, and making calls. While Apple eventually fixed the bug, it’s been a bumpy road lately.
