Apple is set to officially launch the iOS 26.2, as the company has unexpectedly introduced a second release candidate (RC) build, providing another regarding the imminent launch of th upcoming update.
The new RC, labeled 23C54, replaces last week’s initial RC 23C52 that was initially issued to testers on December 3.
The surprise second RC comes after reports from a credible tipster on X (Formerly Twitter), who shared that 23C52 and 23C54 are the final launch builds for iOS and iPadOS 26.2.
According to the tipster, the long-awaited launch of iOS 26.2 is just over the horizon and could be dropped at any moment.
The dual build numbers may hint device-specific variants, especially for models using C1 or C1X modems.
iOS 26.2 will reportedly come with plenty of significant enhancements found during the developer beta cycle, including a redesigned Lock Screen volume slider, improved episode chapter automation in Podcasts, new Apple News buttons, and hints of expanded third-party virtual assistant support.
Amid mounting excitement, the Cupertino-based tech giant and experts cautioned users against downloading beta variants on primary devices because of risks like instability and data loss.
With the second RC now available, the official public release of iOS 26.2 is likely to occur very soon; however, the exact date remains undisclosed.
