iOS 26.2 RC Released - What's New?

iOS 26.2 Release Candidate Overview
📌 Apple released the iOS 26.2 Release Candidate (RC) build, alongside RCs for iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, tvOS, HomePod, and visionOS.
🔢 The specific build number for the iOS 26.2 RC is 23C52, with modem firmware 1.20.06 for the iPhone 17 series.
📈 The download size for the RC build on the iPhone 17 Pro Max was notably large at 8.52 GB when updating from a previous beta.

Bug Fixes and Performance Notes
🛠️ This RC includes a fix for the blank icon bug affecting apps like Threads, which previously persisted even after reboots.
🖼️ The annoying Control Center ghosting bug reported in beta 3 appears to be resolved in the RC build.
❌ A UI glitch where album art scrolls with the list in the Music (and Photos) app remains unfixed in this RC version.
📉 Performance benchmarks (Geekbench multi-core score of 9913) are similar to, or slightly lower than, the previous beta 3; battery life is also expected to be comparable.

New Features and Code Discoveries
🔍 Code analysis suggests a new feature related to Find My with the codename "grape," potentially hinting at the long-rumored AirTag 2.
✈️ Release notes confirm a fix for the AirDrop discoverability bug that prevented devices set to "Everyone" on beta 1 from seeing devices on beta 2.
🏥 Health features expansion includes hypertension notifications now available in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam; hearing tests expanded to Bahrain, Costa Rica, and Paraguay.

Future Release Expectations
🗓️ Based on last year's schedule (iOS 18.2), the speaker predicts a second RC (RC2) next week (potentially around December 8th), followed by the final public release around December 10th.
⏭️ Following the final release of 26.2, the next development milestone expected before the holiday break is the kick-off of iOS 26.3 beta 1.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ The iOS 26.2 RC is generally a quiet update, focusing primarily on backend fixes rather than major user-facing features, similar to recent RC releases.
➡️ Users experiencing CarPlay issues (reboots or glitching tint) should test the RC, as fixes for these were anticipated but not confirmed by the reviewer.
➡️ The "smooth liquid glass design" animation for menus remains a highlight, although reviewers noted consistency in smoothness across recent betas.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Dec 06, 2025, 14:50 UTC