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Apple Readies iOS 26.2 for Mid-December With Safety Alerts, Offline Lyrics and Regional Changes

The late-stage release focuses on safety features alongside regulatory tweaks for the EU and Japan.

Overview

  • Apple indicates a December rollout, with reporting centering on a mid‑month window and some guidance narrowing it to December 9–16.
  • An Enhanced Safety Alerts setting will let users toggle earthquake and imminent‑threat notifications with an option to share approximate location to improve timeliness.
  • The latest beta adds a framework to let the side button trigger third‑party voice assistants, with Bloomberg reporting the control will open in Japan first.
  • EU users are set to gain AirPods Live Translation while losing iPhoneApple Watch Wi‑Fi sharing to meet Digital Markets Act requirements.
  • Feature polish spans Reminders alarms, Apple Podcasts’ AI‑generated chapters, Apple Music offline lyrics, CarPlay and Games app refinements, plus expected security patches and bug fixes.