Liquid Glass is a big new change coming to iOS 26. (Apple)
Prepare as a result of Apple iOS 26 (not iOS 19) is headed your means this fall with some cool new options you will wish to strive. What’s most fun? The recent residence and lock display screen redesign we have been ready to see for years. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the brand new appear and feel will prolong throughout all of Apple’s upcoming working techniques. The overhaul was considered one of a number of massive adjustments coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the remainder of Apple’s software program suite, all of which have been showcased in the course of the firm’s WWDC keynote on June 9.
After overpromising on AI plans final yr, Apple saved its iOS roadmap centered extra on fundamental high quality of life enhancements this yr. There are a number of helpful additions coming to the Telephone and Messages apps in your iPhone, as an illustration: Apple execs outlined the flexibility to weed out spam texts or different unknown senders and an choice to carry your spot on a cellphone name if you’ve been ready for a consultant to choose up. Plus, a treasured function that we took with no consideration is coming again (trace: it is within the Images app).
Siri, in the meantime, is in a holding sample. Apple has beforehand specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed till some level “within the coming yr,” so that you should not anticipate any main adjustments within the present betas. However there are stories that Apple is aiming to present Siri an even bigger mind transplant by basing it on third-party synthetic intelligence fashions like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which may make 2026 a pivotal yr.
In the event you’re a developer, you possibly can take a look at the iOS 26 beta 2 now; the general public beta is coming this month. With every beta, it looks as if further new enhancements are popping up, like newly found FaceTime function that’ll freeze your video if it detects nudity. Most newer iPhone fashions are eligible to obtain iOS 26 (each the betas and closing model). Need to see the complete record of latest options coming this fall? Learn on.
What’s iOS 26?
Whereas the present iPhone working system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the numbering forward to iOS 26 later this yr. The corporate has determined to line up its iOS model numbers with a year-based system, much like automobile mannequin years. So whereas iOS and its sibling working techniques will probably be launched in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to replicate the yr forward. (In the meantime, iOS 18 continues to be getting new variations this summer season, too.)
It is official, we’re shifting to iOS 26. (Apple)
What’s Liquid Glass design?
Let’s be sincere. Out of every thing introduced at WWDC this yr, the brand new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone’s residence and lock screens have appeared just about the identical yr after yr — the final thrilling factor (for my part) was the choice so as to add your individual aesthetic to your house display screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the house and lock screens’ new facelift is refreshing.
So what precisely is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent materials” since, effectively, the apps and widgets are clear. Nevertheless, the display screen can nonetheless adapt to darkish and light-weight modes, relying on environment. You will additionally discover buttons with a brand new floating design in a number of apps, like Telephone and Maps. They’re designed to be much less distracting than the present buttons, however are nonetheless simple to see. Whereas the design overhaul has confirmed to be controversial since its announcement, some — together with Engadget’s personal Devindra Hardawar — like the brand new course, even when it is considerably harking back to Microsoft’s translucent Home windows Vista Aero designs from practically twenty years in the past.
That mentioned, as of the newly launched iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already included some person suggestions into the design, dialing again the transparency in no less than some locations. And whereas it is going to proceed to evolve, Apple customers will not have the ability to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes extra cohesive. Here is a take a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the brand new macOS Tahoe 26 in your desktop.
What are the brand new and notable options of iOS 26?
iOS 26 has a laundry record of latest options. Among the many most worthwhile:
Telephone app redesign: You will lastly have the ability to scroll via contacts, current calls and voicemail messages all on one display screen. It additionally comes with a brand new function known as Maintain Help that’ll notify you when an agent involves the cellphone so you possibly can keep away from the elevator music and proceed on with different duties.
Dwell Translation in Telephone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the flexibility to have a dialog through cellphone name or textual content message with somebody who speaks one other language. Dwell Translation will translate your dialog in actual time, which leads to some stop-and-go interactions within the examples Apple shared throughout its presentation.
Polls in group chats: Uninterested in sorting via what looks as if a whole lot of messages in your group chat? You and your mates will quickly have the ability to create polls in group messages for deciding issues like which brunch spot you are consuming at or whose automobile you are taking on a street journey.
Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you have not acquired spam texts about unpaid tolls or different citations, you are fortunate. For these of us who’ve, these annoying messages will quickly be filtered away in a separate folder.
Visible Intelligence: Much like a reverse Google picture search, this new function will help you seek for something that is in your iPhone display screen. For example, in case you spot a pair of sneakers somebody is sporting in an Instagram picture, you possibly can screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to search out these sneakers (or comparable ones) on-line.
Images tabs are again: For anybody who’s nonetheless pissed off with the Images adjustments made final yr, you will be glad to know that your tabs are coming again. Library and Collections could have their very own separate areas so you do not have to scroll to infinity to search out what you are on the lookout for.
FaceTime “Communication Security” function: A more recent addition to iOS 26 seems to be the FaceTime “Communication Security” function that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The function seems to be a baby security function that makes use of on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privateness points.
Apple’s Maintain Help will probably be nifty for these pesky companies that put you on maintain for 10 or extra minutes. (Apple)
Which iPhones will have the ability to improve to iOS 26?
A number of iPhone fashions that run the present model of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — will not be suitable with the most recent improve. However any iPhones launched in 2019 or later will probably be eligible for the iOS 26 replace.
Not listed below are the presumed new iPhone 17 fashions (or perhaps iPhone 26?) which might be all however sure to be introduced and launched in September.
When will the iOS 26 beta be obtainable?
The iOS 26 public beta will grow to be obtainable this month (July) through the Apple Beta Software program Program. In the event you’re not already a member, you will want to enroll to check out all the most recent options. Simply go to beta.apple.com and enroll along with your cellphone quantity or e mail deal with. It is free.
When you’re in and the beta is out there, you possibly can set up it by going to Settings > Common > Software program Replace and choosing iOS 26 public beta.
A phrase of warning: Do not enroll along with your major iPhone until you are OK with any dangers that happen with utilizing an OS that is not finalized.
When will the ultimate model of iOS 26 be launched?
iOS 26 will probably be launched to the general public this fall. It often is available in September, inside every week of the Apple iPhone occasion. Final yr, it rolled out to iPhone customers on September 16 — precisely one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was introduced.
In the event you’re extra within the Apple Intelligence options coming, here is every thing Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and extra throughout WWDC. Additionally, take a look at how iOS 26 screenshots may very well be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.
Replace, July 3: Famous new FaceTime function discovered within the developer beta.
Replace, June 30: Famous ongoing iOS 18 releases, and stories that Apple is contemplating further exterior LLMs for Siri.
Replace, June 25: Famous adjustments added in iOS 26 beta 2.
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