The iOS 26 public beta arrives a month-and-a-half after WWDC 2025 where Apple first previewed its new release. In that time, Apple's issued a developer beta for iOS 26, and all the different iteration of that software have led to this publicly available version.
If you're mulling over a download of the iOS 26 public beta, keep in mind that this is unfinished software. Some features aren't fully available yet, and others might be buggy. There's also a chance that installing the beta may impact the battery life of your iPhone. Basically, Apple is putting out this beta now to solicit feedback on the new release and fine tune it ahead of the full launch in the fall.
