On Monday, Apple launched the newest betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and watchOS 26. Nevertheless, a brand new beta of macOS Tahoe 26 appeared solely briefly earlier than being pulled for an unknown purpose. Apple resolved the problem and pushed out the brand new macOS Tahoe beta late yesterday, together with a 3rd beta of tvOS 26, which additionally got here a day late.
There’s not a lot to report on this week’s iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch betas apart from the same old minor refinements which might be typical as Apple marches on towards a last launch in September. The third betas polish up the Liquid Glass interface to make it movement extra easily. It additionally provides 4 new wallpaper types for the iPhone.
Nevertheless, it’s the macOS Tahoe 26 beta that has the extra vital adjustments this time round. Whereas the iPhone merely gained three new shades of the iOS 26 wallpaper that debuted within the first developer beta, macOS will get a brand new “Tahoe Day” aerial display screen saver and wallpaper, and it additionally now seems to be the default.
The primary two developer betas of macOS 26 featured an summary dynamic wallpaper named “macOS Beta” that adopted the fashion of the colourful designs that have been a part of Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, and prior releases. Apple started together with dynamic wallpapers in 2018 with macOS Mojave, which kicked issues off with a time-changing desert panorama dubbed “Dynamic Desert.” Nevertheless, it wasn’t till macOS Sonoma that it started together with aerial scene wallpapers and screensavers.
This started with Sonoma Horizon to showcase the hills of Sonoma Valley, and culminated in final yr’s default Sequoia Dawn wallpaper, that includes majestic Sequoia timber illuminated all through the day. These themed wallpapers stay in macOS Tahoe together with a group of different landscapes, cityscapes, underwater, and earth scenes that Apple TV customers will seemingly be accustomed to, plus a dozen new ones.
The brand new Tahoe Day screensaver got here as a considerably jarring however welcome shock once I returned to my Mac after it had completed updating to the newest beta.
Tahoe Day will seemingly stay the default within the last macOS Tahoe launch, simply as Sequoia Dawn was in macOS Sequoia. Nevertheless, the dynamic wallpaper used because the default within the first two betas can also be nonetheless right here, and whereas it’s nonetheless listed as “macOS Beta,” it’s prone to get named “Tahoe” within the last launch.
What Else is New in macOS Tahoe 26 Beta 3?
One other small however attention-grabbing change within the newest macOS 26 is a reversal of Apple’s bewildering alternative to indicate inactive browser tabs in Safari with a black bar.
Many early adopters attributed this design to one thing Apple hadn’t but finalized, because it was a weird and complicated UI design that made it difficult to determine the lively tab. I typically discovered myself assuming the underlined tab was the one in focus, and I don’t assume I used to be alone in that false impression. There was additionally virtually no distinction between the lively and inactive tabs.
Fortunately, macOS 26 beta 3 addresses this. The black bar is gone, and the distinction has been dialled as much as the purpose the place it’s simpler to inform which tab is lively, at the least in mild mode. Darkish mode remains to be a bit more difficult, which could be notably troublesome because the tab bar and different UI parts in Safari 26 mirror no matter web page you’re on, so that you’ll typically end up transferring between darkish and light-weight modes as you turn tabs. Hopefully, Apple tweaks the darkish mode distinction within the subsequent beta.
The change additionally extends past Safari to different first-party apps that use tab bars, similar to Apple Mail and Terminal.
In case anybody hoped that Apple’s determination to nix FireWire in macOS Tahoe was only a glitch within the early betas, Stephen Hackett at 512 Pixels has carried out a definitive check to reveal that FireWire assist stays gone.
Is a Public Beta Coming Quickly?
Since we’re now into the second week of July, it’s about time for a public beta to reach. These typically present up simply after the third developer beta, so there’s a chance a public beta may nonetheless arrive this week.
Then again, they normally seem inside 48 hours. Wednesday is the commonest day for public beta releases, notably when developer betas are launched on a Monday. We’re not ruling out a public beta simply but, particularly since this might be the primary one, and Apple has generally launched these as much as per week later. Nevertheless, it’s additionally attainable Apple would possibly wait till developer beta 4.
However, now can be an excellent time to enroll in Apple’s Beta Program if you wish to be prepared for the general public beta when it does arrive. When you’ve registered for the beta program utilizing the identical Apple ID that you simply use in your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, a “Beta Updates” part ought to seem within the Software program Replace part of your iOS, iPadOS, or macOS gadgets the place you’ll be capable to choose the general public beta as soon as it’s accessible.