Max Headroom 
The calendar has turned to December, and the quieter year-end holiday season is now upon us. Nevertheless, we can still expect a few things from Apple this month.
Apple previously announced that iOS 26.2 will be released to the general public in December, and we can expect corresponding updates to be released as well, including iPadOS 26.2, macOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2, and visionOS 26.2.
iOS 26.2 brings offline lyrics to Apple Music, allowing you to view a song’s lyrics even when you are not connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network. The update also lets you customize the Liquid Glass design of the Lock Screen’s clock, set alarms for reminders, use AirPods Live Translation if you live in the EU, and more.
iPadOS 26.2 allows you to drag and drop apps from the App Library, Dock, and Spotlight into Slide Over and tiled views, restoring some multitasking functionality that had been removed in the iPadOS 18 to iPadOS 26 transition.
macOS 26.2 adds an “Edge Light” feature to improve lighting during video calls on a Mac. While you are on a video call, a white border appears around the edges of the screen, mimicking the look of a physical ring light.
watchOS 26.2 and iOS 26.2 have revised Sleep Score ranges:
- Very Low: 0-40 (previously 0-29)
- Low: 41-60 (previously 30-49)
- OK: 61-80 (previously 50-69)
- High: 81-95 (previously 70-89)
- Very High: 96-100 (previously 90-100)
Starting with tvOS 26.2, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own separate Apple Account.
If the profile is for a kid, the Apple TV app will only display content with up to a PG rating by default. This essentially means that the Apple TV app now has a dedicated kids mode, which is a long-awaited feature for parents.
The beta train never stops, of course. Apple will likely seed the first betas of iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, macOS 26.3, watchOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and visionOS 26.3 later in December. However, given that Apple’s software engineers take time off for the holiday season, do not expect the second betas of each update to arrive until January.
The full-year Apple Music Replay playlist for 2025 should be released this December, along with your personalized listening stats and trends for the year. iPhone users running iOS 26 or later can access the Replay experience natively in the Apple Music app, but it also remains available on the web at replay.music.apple.com.
Monthly playlists are already available for Apple Music Replay in 2025.
Apple will release additional year-end charts and awards this month, across the App Store, Apple Podcasts, and its other services.
Apple’s hit film “F1” will be available to watch on the Apple TV streaming service starting Friday, December 12, following its theatrical release earlier this year. The film is already available to purchase or rent through the Apple TV app. In the film, Brad Pitt returns to Formula 1 racing after a 30-year absence, for one last shot at glory.
Apple Arcade is getting five more games on Thursday, December 4, including endless runner Subway Surfers, the world’s most downloaded mobile game.
While previous rumors indicated that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, the odds of that happening still seem quite low by now. Apple has surprised us with a few December product announcements over the years, including AirPods Max in 2020, but keep your expectations very low.
Of course, these are only the things that we know to expect, and Apple could have some other announcements in store this December.
This article, “What to Expect From Apple This December: iOS 26.3 Beta, Replay 2025, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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iOS 26, Apple Music, Apple Music Replay
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