Apple has just released a new lineup of software updates across all major platforms: watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and more are now available. Here’s what’s new.
Apple’s 26.1 software updates are rolling out now
Apple’s new software updates today include the following:
- iOS 26.1
- iPadOS 26.1
- watchOS 26.1
- macOS Tahoe 26.1
- tvOS 26.1
- visionOS 26.1
- HomePod 26.1
As often happens, the iPhone, iPad, and Mac updates offer more substantive changes than Apple’s other platforms.
Release notes for watchOS 26.1, for example, don’t inspire much excitement:
This update includes improvements and bug fixes.
Similarly, HomePod 26.1 offers “performance and stability improvements.”
This sort of focus on performance is not without good reason. Whenever Apple ships major new software versions, like it did in September with 26.0, it tends to introduce a fair number of new bugs.
Today’s 26.1 releases, then, should provide plenty of fixes that make your Apple Watch, Apple TV 4K, or other Apple products run more smoothly than before.
On the Apple TV side though, there is at least one more visible change: the TV app icon has a new look.
Related to the rebranding of Apple TV+ to just being ‘Apple TV,’ the new TV app icon has a more colorful, vibrant look than what was available before.
The TV app is also phasing out the old ‘TV+’ branding in several places inside the app, but otherwise retains the same look and feel as before.
Have you installed watchOS 26.1 or other 26.1 updates? Notice any changes or key bug fixes? Let us know in the comments.
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- AirPods Pro 3
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- iPhone Continuity Camera mount for Apple TV
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