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Apple Releases iOS 26.2 Beta With Reminders Alarms, AI Podcast Chapters, and EU-Specific Changes

A mid-December public rollout is expected following developer and public testing of new features and compliance updates.

Overview

  • Apple opened iOS 26.2 for testing this week, seeding the developer beta on November 4 and a public beta days later.
  • New user tools include an Urgent option in Reminders that triggers due-time alarms, offline Apple Music lyrics, and a Lock Screen Liquid Glass transparency slider.
  • Apple Podcasts adds auto-generated chapters powered by AI and a Podcast Mentions feature that links referenced shows from the player and transcript.
  • Region-specific shifts include enabling AirPods Live Translation for EU users and removing automatic iPhoneApple Watch Wi‑Fi network syncing in the EU to meet DMA requirements.
  • Developers get a Declared Age Range API to prepare for Texas’s App Store Accountability Act, alongside stricter Apple Watch Sleep Score thresholds and a new Enhanced Safety Alerts settings hub to validate.