iOS 26 was unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Builders Convention (WWDC) 2025 on Monday. The corporate previewed a number of new options and synthetic intelligence (AI) capabilities that may quickly be obtainable on iPhone. One of the crucial notable modifications is to the design language of the OS. Apple has launched a brand new UI dubbed Liquid Glass, which bundles glass-like iconography and different components. The most recent model of iOS can even carry Apple Intelligence options and a unified interface within the Telephone app, up to date Digital camera app structure, typing indicators in Messages, new CarPlay options, and extra, when it’s rolled out on eligible iPhone fashions later this 12 months.
iOS 26 Suitable Fashions
Apple says iOS 26 shall be supplied as a free over-the-air (OTA) software program replace for iPhone 11 and later handsets. Nevertheless, the Apple Intelligence options shall be restricted to the iPhone 16 collection and iPhone 15 Professional fashions.
Registered Apple builders can obtain iOS 26 on their units and begin testing out the brand new options. A public beta shall be obtainable via the Apple Beta Software program Program subsequent month.
Visible Enhancements in iOS 26
In keeping with Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President (SVP) of Software program Engineering at Apple, Liquid Glass in iOS 26 is a brand new translucent materials that displays and refracts its surrounding visible components. It’s applied throughout controls, navigation, app icons, and widgets within the OS. This new design language brings new customisation choices for the house and lock screens, enabling customers to customize app icons and widgets with a brand new clear look.
Picture Credit score: Apple
On the iPhone’s lock display, the time widget now adapts to the free house in a picture, shrinking and increasing mechanically. In the meantime, there’s additionally a 3D impact which seems when customers transfer their iPhone.
iOS 26 additionally features a streamlined structure within the Digital camera app, separate tab for Library and Collections views within the Images app, flowing net pages in Safari, and a redesigned tab bar in apps like Apple Music, Information and Podcasts. This bar is claimed to drift close to the highest and dynamically shrink to spotlight the content material on the display.
Apple Intelligence Updates
Constructing upon the introduction of Apple Intelligence options on iPhone from final 12 months, Apple is increasing upon its capabilities. It has launched Reside Translation which is built-in in apps like Messages, FaceTime, and Telephone. Powered by the corporate’s proprietary on-device AI fashions, this characteristic mechanically interprets textual content and audio in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese language, and different languages.
Picture Credit score: Apple
Updates to Visible Intelligence, Apple’s various for Google’s Circle-to-Search, allow customers to ask ChatGPT questions on what they’re presently taking a look at on their display. They’ll additionally seek for related photographs and merchandise on Google, Etsy, and different supported apps. Additional, it mechanically recognises if a person is taking a look at an occasion and suggests them so as to add it to their calendar with date, time, and different key particulars.
Apple has additionally launched AI-powered shortcuts and devoted actions for Writing Instruments and Picture Playground. The corporate’s AI mannequin may establish and summarise particulars, akin to bill in emails acquired from retailers. Customers may combine their favorite emojis, Genmojis, and descriptions for distinctive creations. In the meantime, the brand new Basis Fashions framework supplies builders entry to Apple’s on-device basis mannequin which powers Apple Intelligence.
Modifications to Apps
Apple has revamped the Telephone app with a unified structure which mixes the Favourites, Recents, and Voicemails tabs. It additionally takes benefit of Name Screening which makes use of Reside Voicemail to assemble info from the caller, enabling the recipient to determine whether or not they want to decide it up. Alternatively, Maintain Help can come in useful when the person is caught on maintain, notifying them when the particular person on the opposite finish of the road, akin to an agent, is obtainable.
With iOS 26, customers can display messages from unknown senders within the Messages app, which seem in a devoted folder and stay silenced until chosen in any other case. Customers may create polls, generate backgrounds for chats utilizing Apple Intelligence, and see typing indicators in group chats.
There are Lyrics Translation and Lyrics Pronunciation options in Apple Music, together with an AutoMix characteristic that makes use of AI to seamlessly transition from one monitor to the following utilizing time stretching and beat matching. In the meantime, Apple Maps will get a characteristic dubbed Visited Locations which allows the person to recollect the locations they have been. Apple says iPhone can use on-device AI to analyse their every day route and current them with a most well-liked choice, whereas additionally notifying them of potential delays.
Along with updates, Apple has launched a brand new app dubbed Apple Video games. It’s claimed to behave as a one-stop-shop for all gaming wants of iPhone customers. It presents customers with an summary of the actions of their video games together with main occasions. Additional, they will additionally launch the sport from the app and swap between them.
New CarPlay Options
With iOS 26, Apple has introduced a compact view for incoming calls in CarPlay. It lets customers verify who’s calling them with out lacking out on upcoming instructions. The replace additionally brings Tapbacks and pinned conversations to Messages, together with widgets and Reside Actions.
Additions to AirPods
Apple says iOS 26 expands upon the present capabilities of its TWS merchandise, specifically the AirPods 4 and the AirPods Professional (2nd era). Interviewers, podcasters, singers, and others can now report audio with clearer high quality utilizing the studio high quality audio recording characteristic. Apple guarantees “extra pure vocal texture and readability” throughout telephone calls on the iPhone.
In the meantime, the brand new digital camera distant characteristic permits the AirPods to perform as a digital camera shutter; a easy press and maintain of the AirPods stem takes a photograph by way of the native Digital camera app or some other third-party app. It will possibly additionally begin or cease a video recording on an iPhone.
