Apple isn’t done with betas just yet. Even though many expected last week’s beta 8 to be the final round before release candidates (RC), the company has surprised developers with beta 9 builds across most of its upcoming platforms.

What’s New in Beta 9?

The latest developer betas include:

  • iOS 26
  • iPadOS 26
  • macOS Tahoe
  • tvOS 26
  • visionOS 26
  • watchOS 26
  • HomePod software 26

These updates don’t bring big feature changes but instead focus on bug fixes, stability improvements, and performance tweaks. That’s especially welcome after beta 8, which had more rough edges than expected this close to public launch.

Timing Ahead of the iPhone 17 Event

Apple is still expected to hold its RC (release candidate) builds until after the iPhone 17 keynote on September 9. That means beta 9 is likely the last polishing step before we move into near-final releases.

Public Beta Availability

Currently, beta 9 is only available for developers. But as usual, we should see public beta builds roll out shortly afterward.

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Apple, Apple Watch, Mac, News,

Last Update: September 2, 2025

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