Every iPhone model compatible with Apple's iOS 26 (and which ones aren't)

The iOS 26 beta version differs slightly from the general release. Beta testers are given a release that has recently exited its alpha phase, so problems and bugs are expected to arise. The purpose of the beta phase is to gather user feedback to repair these bugs and address any user interface issues before the software is massively distributed.

Beta versions can also be incomplete and are not the final product. This means the iOS 2 beta version is more prone to bugs, glitches, and instability.

Also: Apple may rebrand to iOS 26 with the upcoming version – here’s why that’s a big deal

The general release will have ironed out most of these bugs and problems using the user feedback gathered during the beta phase, delivering software that isn’t as prone to issues. However, they can still happen.

One example of this process in action is when Apple released the iOS 17 beta version in 2023. The early beta version featured the “End” button during a call that had moved from the center to the right, which was a big change for iPhone users. Disapproving feedback from beta testers resulted in Apple moving the “End” button back to the center of the screen, where users had been accustomed to.