It is true: Apple’s iOS 26 (not iOS 19) is coming your approach this fall with some cool new options you will wish to attempt. For these of us who’ve been loyal to the iPhone for almost twenty years, we’re most excited in regards to the recent house and lock display screen redesign. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the brand new appear and feel will lengthen throughout all of Apple’s upcoming working methods. The overhaul was one in all a number of huge adjustments coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the remainder of Apple’s software program suite, all of which have been showcased throughout the firm’s WWDC keynote on June 9. For those who’re a developer, you possibly can take a look at the iOS 26 beta 2 now; the general public beta coming in July.
After overpromising on AI plans final 12 months, Apple stored its iOS roadmap centered extra on fundamental high quality of life enhancements this 12 months. There are a number of helpful additions coming to the Telephone and Messages apps in your iPhone, as an example: 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 once you’ve been ready for a consultant to choose up. Plus, a treasured characteristic 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 “in the coming year,” so that you should not anticipate any main adjustments within the present betas. However there are reviews that Apple is aiming to offer Siri an even bigger mind transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which may make 2026 a pivotal 12 months.
Preserve studying to take a look at essentially the most notable options coming to your iPhone this fall, in response to Apple. Additionally, ensure that your iPhone is eligible to download the iOS 26 update (fortunately, most up-to-date fashions are).
What’s iOS 26?
Whereas the present iPhone working system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the numbering forward to iOS 26 later this 12 months. The corporate has determined to line up its iOS model numbers with a year-based system, much like automotive mannequin years. So whereas iOS and its sibling working methods will likely be launched in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to mirror the 12 months forward. (In the meantime, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.)
What’s Liquid Glass design?
Let’s be sincere. Out of every little thing introduced at WWDC this 12 months, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone’s house and lock screens have seemed just about the identical 12 months after 12 months — the final thrilling factor (in my view) was the choice so as to add your individual aesthetic to your own home 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 material” since, properly, the apps and widgets are clear. Nonetheless, 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 path, even when it is considerably paying homage to Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from almost twenty years in the past.
That stated, as of the newly launched iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing again the transparency in no less than some locations. And whereas it’ll proceed to evolve, Apple customers will not be capable of escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes extra cohesive. This is a take a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 in your desktop.
What are the brand new and notable options of iOS 26?
iOS 26 has a laundry checklist of latest options. Among the many most worthwhile:
Telephone app redesign: You will lastly be capable of scroll by contacts, latest calls and voicemail messages all on one display screen. It additionally comes with a brand new characteristic referred to 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: Bored with sorting by what looks as if lots of of messages in your group chat? You and your pals will quickly be capable of create polls in group messages for deciding issues like which brunch spot you are consuming at or whose automotive you take on a highway journey.
Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you have not obtained 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: Just like a reverse Google picture search, this new characteristic will help you seek for something that is in your iPhone display screen. As an example, when you spot a pair of sneakers somebody is sporting in an Instagram photograph, 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 annoyed with the Photos changes made last year, you will be joyful to know that your tabs are coming again. Library and Collections can have their very own separate areas so you do not have to scroll to infinity to search out what you are in search of.
Which iPhones will be capable of improve to iOS 26?
Just a few iPhone fashions that run the present model of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — will not be appropriate with the newest improve. However any iPhones launched in 2019 or later will likely be eligible for the iOS 26 update.
Not listed below are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or possibly iPhone 26?) which are all however sure to be introduced and launched in September.
When will the iOS 26 beta be out there?
For those who’re a developer, you possibly can take a look at the iOS 26 beta 2 now. The iOS 26 public beta will develop into available in July through the Apple Beta Software Program. For those who’re not already a member, you will want to enroll to check out all the newest options. Simply go to beta.apple.com and join together with your cellphone quantity or e-mail deal with. It is free.
When you’re in and the beta is obtainable, you possibly can set up it by going to Settings > Normal > Software program Replace and choosing iOS 26 public beta.
A phrase of warning: Do not join together with your major iPhone except 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 likely be launched to the general public this fall. It often is available in September, inside every week of the Apple iPhone occasion. Final 12 months, it rolled out to iPhone customers on September 16 — precisely one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was introduced.
For those who’re extra within the Apple Intelligence options coming, this is everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more 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, June 30: Famous ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reviews that Apple is contemplating extra exterior LLMs for Siri.
Replace, June 25: Famous adjustments added in iOS 26 beta 2.
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