Apple is moving right along with beta testing on iOS 26 and related versions of its other major operating systems, releasing the second betas to developers this week with an array of tweaks compared to the first betas.
The past week also saw some fresh rumors about the iPhone 17 and beyond, while CarPlay Ultra seems to be falling out of favor with some car brands, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 2
Apple this week provided developers with the second beta of iOS 26, introducing the first changes and refinements to the new operating system since it debuted at the WWDC keynote. Because we're early in the beta testing process, there are quite a few tweaks to iOS 26 with this new beta, and we've rounded them up in an article and accompanying video.
Among the changes are improvements to the look of Control Center with the new Liquid Glass design, a new ringtone that was discovered hiding in the first beta and which officially became available in this week's beta, some tweaks for Safari and the Wallet app, and more.
iPhone 17 Base Model Rumored to Come in New Purple and Green Colors
One of the most popular topics for rumor and speculation ahead of each iPhone generation's unveiling is the color options for the various models, and this year is no exception.
According to one source with a mixed track record, Apple has been testing new purple and green color options for the regular iPhone 17 model, although it's possible only one of them will make it to production and that would most likely be the purple model. We'll see in September if that turns out to be accurate!
20th-Anniversary iPhone May Not Feature an All-Screen Design After All
There's a rumor controversy brewing with regard to Apple's extended iPhone roadmap, kicked off by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims over the past month that Apple is aiming to shrink the size of the Dynamic Island in the 2026 iPhone models before moving to an all-screen design with curved glass for the Pro models in 2027.
Display analyst Ross Young claimed this week, however, that the timeline will be a bit longer than that, with the smaller Dynamic Island in 2026 being followed by further shrinkage in 2028 that will see all remaining Face ID elements move underneath the display with the camera remaining separate. Young believes it won't be until 2030 that everything will be able to move under the display panel to deliver the full all-screen design.
These Apple CarPlay Ultra Partners Now Say They Won't Support It
Apple is facing mounting resistance from automakers over CarPlay Ultra, the next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles that was officially launched last month.
A new Financial Times report claims several major brands are walking back their earlier commitments to support the upgraded dashboard software. German luxury manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Audi have both distanced themselves from the system, along with Volvo, Polestar, and Renault.
Porsche remains committed to supporting the feature in an unspecified time frame, and Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis were just announced as new partners last month, so they appear to still be on board as well.
iOS 26's New Battery Life Mode Available Only on These iPhone Models
iOS 26 introduces an opt-in Adaptive Power Mode on the iPhone, which Apple says can make "small performance adjustments" when necessary to extend an iPhone's battery life, including slightly lowering the display brightness or allowing some activities to "take a little longer."
The feature will only be available on some of Apple's most recent iPhone models, however, as it requires Apple Intelligence in order to function. That means Adaptive Power Mode will be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and all iPhone 16 models. All iPhone 17 models coming later this year will of course undoubtedly support it.
iPhone Driver's Licenses: These 17 U.S. States Offer Them or Will Later
Digital driver's licenses in the Wallet app on iPhone are currently supported in nine U.S. states and Puerto Rico, but Apple previously announced an additional eight states that have signed on to adopt the feature in the future, and there will almost certainly be others.
iOS 26 will also introduce a new Digital ID based on a U.S. passport. Users nationwide will be able to use this digital passport for identity verification at select airport security checkpoints when traveling domestically, though it won't be a replacement for a physical passport needed when traveling internationally.
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