It is true: Apple’s iOS 26 (not iOS 19) is coming your method this fall with some cool new options you will need to attempt. For these of us who’ve been loyal to the iPhone for almost 20 years, we’re most excited concerning the contemporary house and lock display redesign. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the brand new feel and look will lengthen throughout all of Apple’s upcoming working techniques. The overhaul was one among 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 throughout the firm’s WWDC keynote on June 9. Should you’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 yr, Apple stored 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, for example: Apple execs outlined the power to weed out spam texts or different unknown senders and an choice to carry your spot on a telephone name whenever you’ve been ready for a consultant to select up. Plus, a treasured function that we took without any 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 count on any main adjustments within the present betas. However there are stories that Apple is aiming to offer Siri a much 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.
Hold studying to take a look at probably the most notable options coming to your iPhone this fall, in response to Apple. Additionally, be certain that your iPhone is eligible to obtain the iOS 26 replace (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 yr. 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 techniques will likely be launched in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to mirror the yr forward. (In the meantime, iOS 18 continues to be getting new variations this summer time, too.)
What’s Liquid Glass design?
Let’s be sincere. Out of the whole lot introduced at WWDC this yr, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone’s house and lock screens have regarded 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 property display 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 can nonetheless adapt to darkish and light-weight modes, relying on environment. You may 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 straightforward 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 route, even when it is considerably paying homage to Microsoft’s translucent Home windows Vista Aero designs from almost 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 can 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. Here is a have 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 may lastly be capable of scroll via contacts, current calls and voicemail messages all on one display. It additionally comes with a brand new function known as Maintain Help that’ll notify you when an agent involves the telephone so you possibly can keep away from the elevator music and proceed on with different duties.
Reside Translation in Telephone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the power to have a dialog through telephone name or textual content message with somebody who speaks one other language. Reside 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 via what looks as if lots of of messages in your group chat? You and your folks 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: Much like a reverse Google picture search, this new function will let you seek for something that is in your iPhone display. As an illustration, for those who spot a pair of footwear somebody is sporting in an Instagram photograph, you possibly can screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to seek out these footwear (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 pleased 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 seek 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 most recent improve. However any iPhones launched in 2019 or later will likely be eligible for the iOS 26 replace.
Not listed below are the presumed new iPhone 17 fashions (or perhaps iPhone 26?) which can be all however sure to be introduced and launched in September.
When will the iOS 26 beta be accessible?
Should you’re a developer, you possibly can take a look at the iOS 26 beta 2 now. The iOS 26 public beta will turn out to be accessible in July through the Apple Beta Software program Program. Should 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 join along with your telephone quantity or e mail tackle. It is free.
When you’re in and the beta is out there, you possibly can set up it by going to Settings > Basic > Software program Replace and deciding on iOS 26 public beta.
A phrase of warning: Do not join along with your primary 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 likely 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.
Should you’re extra within the Apple Intelligence options coming, this is the whole lot Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and extra throughout WWDC. Additionally, take a look at how iOS 26 screenshots could possibly be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.
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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