iOS 26.3 Released: New Features for Your iPhone
▼ Summary
– Apple has released iOS 26.3, the third major update to its redesigned operating system and the last before a major Siri improvement.
– The update includes easier switching from Android to iPhone, tweaks to Astronomy and Weather wallpapers, and a feature for limiting precise cellular location on certain iPhones and iPads.
– It follows the previous iOS 26.2 and 26.2.1 updates, which introduced Liquid Glass design tweaks and more CarPlay customization.
– The anticipated iOS 26.4 update will introduce an upgraded Siri powered by Google’s Gemini engine and Apple Intelligence.
– The first beta for iOS 26.4 is expected in the last week of February, though the final iOS 26.3 release omitted the Notification Forwarding feature mentioned in earlier betas.
Apple has rolled out a fresh software update for iPhone users, marking the arrival of iOS 26.3. This release serves as the third significant update to the company’s redesigned operating system and is positioned as the final iteration before a major overhaul of the Siri assistant. The update brings several practical enhancements, including a streamlined process for switching from Android devices, refinements to the Astronomy and Weather wallpaper galleries, and additional tweaks for a more personalized experience.
This release follows the official launch of iOS 26.2 in December and the subsequent iOS 26.2.1 update in January. Those previous versions introduced greater flexibility for customizing Liquid Glass design elements and expanded the range of CarPlay customization options, among other improvements. The new update builds upon that foundation with its own set of features.
A notable addition in iOS 26.3 is a new privacy control for iPhones and iPads equipped with Apple C1 and C1X modems. This feature allows users to limit precise location sharing via cellular networks when connected to participating service providers, offering more granular control over location data. While a feature called Notification Forwarding was present during the developer beta testing phase, it is important to note that this functionality did not make it into the final public release of iOS 26.3.
Looking ahead, the development pipeline points toward iOS 26.4 as the anticipated update that will integrate the long-awaited, upgraded version of Siri. This advancement follows a recent announcement from Apple and Google regarding plans to utilize Google’s Gemini technology as the engine powering the enhanced Siri experience within the Apple Intelligence framework. The first beta version of iOS 26.4 is currently projected for release during the final week of February, setting the stage for the next wave of features.
(Source: 9to5Mac)
