It's out!

It’s time to brick your main device!

After a couple of weeks of suspense, Apple has finally released the first public beta of iOS 26, the shiny new operating system update due in the fall.

The public beta will give you access to all the gleaming new goodies, including the all-new Liquid Glass interface, several redesigned apps and cool new features like reactive wallpapers. Here’s our on-going list of all the new iOS 26 features to expect.

I’ve been using the developer beta since day one and it’s generally been stable and useable for me. Battery life is OK and my phone hasn’t melted — yet!

But stability and reliability depend on a lot of factors, like your particular device, the third-party apps you run, and other factors. So your experience may vary. It may well not be as smooth for you. Best to exercise caution, especially if loading it on your main device.

Plus, don’t be a reckless idiot like me and install it up without making any backups first. See our post for sensible precautions to take and the exact instructions of how to get on the public beta program.

Saying all this, I’d recommend it. It’s fun to get a jump on new features, and see first-hand how the operating system is tweaked before it’s officially released. This is the biggest redesign of iOS in a decade, and it’d be a shame to miss out.

Also in today’s newsletter:

• A new survey says 64% of consumers have no interest in a folding smartphone. But that’s because Apple hasn’t made one yet! Trust us, if you’re skeptical now, here’s why you’ll inevitably change your mind.

• Here’s another reason (if you needed one) to avoid BMW, beautiful cars driven by the worst drivers on the road! Don’t at me!

• We have a price cut that expires soon on 1minAI, an all-in-one AI tool that gives you access to all the top AI tools for one low price.

• Check out the trailer for a new prestige thriller coming to Apple TV+, The Last Frontier, which details the manhunt for a bunch of dangerous criminals set loose in Alaska after a Con Air-style plane crash. Oddly, the trailer ends just as it starts to get interesting! Hopefully the show’s not like that.

• Apple is opening a new retail store in Osaka, Japan, this weekend, and has provided some sneak peek photos. It looks pretty standard, but I was interested to read about all the accessibility features Apple’s built into the store itself.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

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