Apple releases iPadOS 27 RC, plus watchOS 27 and more

Following Apple's "Surprise and Shine" September event, the company has released release candidate (RC) versions of its major software updates, including iPadOS 27 and watchOS 27. These updates for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Apple devices are set to launch next week on Monday, September 14.

Developers and public beta testers can now install the RC versions via the Software Update screen in Settings. These release candidates are intended to be the final software that users will download, although Apple may push out RC 2 builds if any critical issues are discovered.

Apple typically releases RC builds shortly after the annual iPhone launch event, as there are often new features unveiled during the event which are only revealed then. For instance, watchOS 27 updates were detailed during the Apple Watch hardware reveal, despite not being mentioned in June, and are now part of the RC package.

Stay tuned for more Apple event coverage and news.