Listed here are all the brand new options and enhancements for the brand new iPhone working system

It is true: Apple’s iOS 26 (not iOS 19) is coming your manner this fall with some cool new options you may wish to attempt. For these of us who’ve been loyal to the iPhone for practically 20 years, we’re most excited concerning 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 techniques. The overhaul was one in every of a number of large modifications 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. In the event you’re a developer, you possibly can try 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 primary 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 possibility to carry your spot on a cellphone name whenever you’ve been ready for a consultant to select up. Plus, a treasured characteristic that we took as a right is coming again (trace: it is within the Pictures 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 modifications within the present betas. However there are studies 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 might make 2026 a pivotal 12 months.

Hold studying to take a look at probably the most notable options coming to your iPhone this fall, in response to Apple. Additionally, make sure 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 techniques can 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 the whole lot 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 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 material” since, effectively, the apps and widgets are clear. Nonetheless, the display screen 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 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 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 incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing again the transparency in at the very least some locations. And whereas it is going to proceed to evolve, Apple customers will not be capable to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes extra cohesive. This is a have 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 listing of recent options. Among the many most worthwhile:

Telephone app redesign: You may lastly be capable to scroll by means of 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 ends up in some stop-and-go interactions within the examples Apple shared throughout its presentation.

Polls in group chats: Uninterested in sorting by means of what looks as if a whole bunch of messages in your group chat? You and your folks will quickly be capable to create polls in group messages for deciding issues like which brunch spot you are consuming at or whose automotive 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 characteristic will permit you to seek for something that is in your iPhone display screen. As an example, should you spot a pair of footwear somebody is sporting in an Instagram picture, you possibly can screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to search out these footwear (or related ones) on-line.

Pictures tabs are again: For anybody who’s nonetheless pissed off with the Photos changes made last year, you may be joyful 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 searching for.

Which iPhones will be capable to improve to iOS 26?

A couple 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 can be eligible for the iOS 26 update.

Not listed below are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or perhaps iPhone 26?) which are all however sure to be introduced and launched in September.

When will the iOS 26 beta be accessible?

In the event you’re a developer, you possibly can try the iOS 26 beta 2 now. The iOS 26 public beta will grow to be available in July through the Apple Beta Software Program. In the event you’re not already a member, you may 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 electronic mail deal with. It is free.

When you’re in and the beta is accessible, you possibly can set up it by going to Settings > Common > Software program Replace and deciding on iOS 26 public beta.

A phrase of warning: Do not enroll along with your predominant 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 can 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.

In the event you’re extra within the Apple Intelligence options coming, this is everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more throughout WWDC. Additionally, try how iOS 26 screenshots might be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.

Replace, June 30: Famous ongoing iOS 18 releases, and studies that Apple is contemplating further exterior LLMs for Siri.

Replace, June 25: Famous modifications added in iOS 26 beta 2.

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