Overview
- Apple released developer beta 1 for iOS and iPadOS 26.3 alongside companion 26.3 builds for macOS, watchOS, tvOS, HomePod, and visionOS on December 15, with downloads available to registered developers and a public beta expected shortly.
- This x.3 cycle is positioned as a stability‑focused pre‑holiday release, following Apple’s typical cadence of lighter December betas before a larger iOS 26.4 update targeted for early 2026.
- Early beta code points to a guided iPhone‑to‑Android transfer flow that can be initiated via QR or pairing code and is designed to migrate a wide range of personal data, with some content such as DRM‑protected media and paid apps excluded.
- The beta also indicates a setting to forward iPhone notifications to a single third‑party wearable with per‑app controls, which temporarily disables Apple Watch notifications when another wearable is active.
- Context: Apple shipped iOS 26.2 three days earlier with 20‑plus security fixes, including two WebKit vulnerabilities Apple says may have been exploited, and some users report the install flow may toggle automatic updates depending on how they confirm the upgrade.