Apple releases iOS 26.2.1 with support for its first new product in 2026

Apple is rolling out the first software updates of 2026, following the announcement of its first product of 2026. Today, the company announced the second-generation AirTag with improved connectivity range and better findability. In order for your iPhone and iPad to be able to communicate with the AirTag 2 properly, Apple released iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS 26.2.1 with support for its newly released tracker.

In addition to the AirTag 2 support, Apple says that today's releases contain additional, albeit unknown bug fixes that are supposed to make your Apple devices run better.

The AirTag 2 costs the same as its predecessor from 2021 (Apple says that it is the most popular tracker in the world). It will set you back $29.99 for a single AirTag or $99.99 for a pack of four. For this money, you get the same coin-shaped device, but this time, it features the second-gen Ultrawideband chip (found in the iPhone 17 series), which increases the detection range by 50%. Also, Apple increased the speaker volume by 50%, making it easier for you to hear your AirTag upon detecting it.

In addition to the new AirTag, Apple today announced new Apple Watch bands to celebrate the upcoming Black History Month. This time, however, no new watch faces were added to watchOS to pair with the announced braided solo loop band.

In case you are not familiar with iOS 26, it supports iPhone 11 Series / SE 2 and newer. iPadOS 26 works on iPads with the A12 and newer processors, and watchOS 26 is compatible with Apple Watch Series 6 / SE2 and newer. You can update your device by heading to Settings > General > Software Update.

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Posted Tuesday 27 January 2026 at 1:32 pm AEST (my time).

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