Apple Stops Signing iOS 26.2 Beta 1 for iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, and Cellular M5 iPad Pro

[MacRumors]

A day after seeding the first developer betas of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2, Apple has stopped signing it for the iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, and cellular models of the new M5 iPad Pro, preventing those devices from installing the update.

The exact reason for the change is unknown, but all three devices use either the C1 or C1X modem, Apple's new custom cellular chips, so it's possible Apple has identified a specific bug related to iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 with that chip and is preventing users who have yet to update from being affected by it.

The updates will continue to show for users on those devices enrolled in the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 developer beta programs, but the updates will now fail to install.

It's unknown how long it will take for Apple to address whatever issue it has discovered, at which time we should see revised developer betas for these C1 and C1X devices.

Update 4:50 pm: Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach notes that his iPad Pro experienced an issue with the update that forced his device into recovery mode, where he was able to restore it to iPadOS 26.1.

Update 6:30 pm: Apple has now fully pulled the updates for the affected devices, so iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 beta 1 won't even show as available on these devices.

Article Link: Apple Stops Signing iOS 26.2 Beta 1 for iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, and Cellular M5 iPad Pro

 

[Astuces iOS]

Finally Apple understood that the iPhone Air had problems and shouldn't exist ! (And the 16e is too expensive for what he offers... iPhone SE was better)

For the iPad Pro M5 well idk it's based on the Air I guess lol

 

[xpxp2002]

More reasons to avoid these Intel/Apple modems. Nothing’s stable and performs like the tried-and-true Qualcomm basebands.

 

[iLuddite]

macOS 26.2 beta when?!

 

[SAIRUS]

Rumor has it enables 5G UW by frying your device and forcing you to upgrade.

 

[Hughey79]

I was able to update it a few hours ago on my air. So far all is well. Wonder what will be done for those that already did it.

 

[CarAnalogy]

And this is why we always use backup, expendable devices for developer betas right? Right?!

 

[jkmoses]

I can verify that when my iPhone Air rebooted, the network indicator "5G UC" appeared and I'm on the Mint/Tmobile Network. I ran a Speedtest and it, indeed, was over 1gbps at the top download speed. So how does a phone that doesn't support "5G UC" actually get it by accident and it's performing as expected?

 

[jordanlucero]

On an iPhone Air. The only oddity I’ve noticed on 26.2 is that I connected to a cellular roaming network despite roaming being off in my Cellular Settings. I thought it was just a display error, but now I’m not totally sure. Otherwise, perfectly fine.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Wonder what the issue is. Have 26.2 on my Air and it seems fine. Hopefully it's not something insane like being unable to call 911.

 

[haunebu]

Should've stuck with Qualcomm.

 

[sziehr]

so this is why they need to keep signing the last stable version of major releases, like 18.7.2 should still be signed for downgrade.

 

[Skb3735]

I can verify that when my iPhone Air rebooted, the network indicator "5G UC" appeared and I'm on the Mint/Tmobile Network. I ran a Speedtest and it, indeed, was over 1gbps at the top download speed. So how does a phone that doesn't support "5G UC" actually get it by accident and it's performing as expected?

The air supports 5G UC but not mmWave

 

[bmark]

Another ****ed up beta release by the most horrible software development team around!

 

[goldmac2006]

Thanks God I skipped this beta. Heard battery life is more terrible than 26.1 beta

 

[svish]

Being a beta, can expect these issues. However in the recent past there are issues with the final versions of the software and so, I prefer to update only after a few weeks of the software launch.

 

[goldmac2006]

Being a beta, can expect these issues. However in the recent past there are issues with the final versions of the software and so, I prefer to update only after a few weeks of the software launch.

Same I don’t jump the gun immediately

I install it a few days after unless it’s a security update

 

[Shirasaki]

Should've stuck with Qualcomm.

But Apple exec would groan every second they had to pay that small license fee to Qualcomm, reducing their coffer sizes.

 

[artifex]

edit: TBH I personally think Apple should have betas warn when they phone home and see they've been recalled, a big horribly colored window that advises you to downgrade because important x thing broke and offers you a button. I don't think they should make it mandatory (if I don't use the wireless features in an iPad, for example, I don't care if it's broken) but they should make it obvious you are definitely... working without a net.

 

[BigDO]

edit: TBH I personally think Apple should have betas warn when they phone home and see they've been recalled, a big horribly colored window that advises you to downgrade because important x thing broke and offers you a button. I don't think they should make it mandatory (if I don't use the wireless features in an iPad, for example, I don't care if it's broken) but they should make it obvious you are definitely... working without a net.

You don’t use the wireless features? No WiFi? Interesting.

 

[winxmac]

so this is why they need to keep signing the last stable version of major releases, like 18.7.2 should still be signed for downgrade.

Older devices from 2018 models onward can still upgrade to iOS 18.x but since there is no iPSW no newer models until early 2025 can downgrade to it.

 

[artifex]

You don’t use the wireless features? No WiFi? Interesting.

I definitely use the wi-fi. That's just it, though, wireless (cellular) and wi-fi use two different chipsets.
There's no sign the wifi driver is busted in this release, since it's only the cell-supporting version of that particular iPad that's affected.

 

[one more]

so this is why they need to keep signing the last stable version of major releases, like 18.7.2 should still be signed for downgrade.

The bug is with the first 26.2 Dev beta, the publicly released 26.1 on Monday is working pretty well.

 

[Big_D]

We've had intermittent problems with the 2 16e phones in our fleet over the last 6 months or so. They drop connections or the company VPN has problems connecting, none of our other users (SE, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 phones) have reported any problems. I had been wondering, whether there might be issues with the new Apple modem, but have never found anything concrete.

 

[bn-7bc]

I object to apples naming of their betas (it might just be me reading the be numbers wrong) but to me ios 26.2beta means this is the beta of what will become 26.2 )ell 26.2.0) when released. So the title makes no sense since 12.2(.0) has already been released . Am i totally wrong here or shul the the titel have said IOS 26.2.1 beta 1 instead or is this just mr saving 2 characters in a title