Apple has kicked off the next round of software testing, releasing the first public betas of iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, and several other platform updates. The new public betas arrive just days after Apple seeded the same builds to developers, and shortly after the company began rolling out iOS 26.2 to the general public last week.
Here’s what’s available now:
Anyone enrolled in Apple’s public beta program can download the updates now. After signing up on Apple’s beta website, the software becomes available through the Software Update section in the Settings app on supported devices. As always, Apple recommends installing beta software on secondary devices, as bugs and performance issues are still possible.
The headline feature in iOS 26.3 beta 1 is a new, simplified way for iPhone users to transfer their data to an Android device when switching platforms. Apple hasn’t gone deep on the details yet, but the move appears aimed at making it less painful for users to jump ecosystems, something Apple has historically been less enthusiastic about.
Another notable addition is Notification Forwarding for third-party wearables in the European Union, allowing notifications to be forwarded from an iPhone to compatible non-Apple devices. This change is likely tied to ongoing regulatory pressure in the EU around platform openness.
Beyond that, there isn’t much new info to report so far. No major features have been discovered in the first public betas of macOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, watchOS 26.3, or visionOS 26.3. That doesn’t mean changes won’t surface later, but for now, this looks like a relatively quiet point release focused on refinements rather than big new additions.
Based on Apple’s typical release schedule, iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, and the rest of the updates in this stack are expected to launch publicly toward the end of January.
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