Overview
- Apple issued iOS 26.3 (a) and (b) Background Security Improvement test packages to developer and public beta users, found in Settings under Privacy & Security.
- Apple’s documentation says these background updates can be removed from Settings and may be temporarily withdrawn if rare compatibility problems occur.
- Background Security Improvements replace Rapid Security Response and focus on components such as Safari, WebKit, and other system libraries.
- StatCounter estimates around 15–16% of active iPhones run iOS 26, whereas TelemetryDeck reports roughly 60%, highlighting sharp methodological differences and no definitive figure from Apple.
- iOS 26.3 remains in beta and is expected to roll out in late January or early February with iPhone-to-Android transfer tools and EU‑limited notification forwarding and proximity pairing for third‑party devices.