You've seen all of the adjustments coming to your iPhone and now you're desperately able to improve to iOS 26 — nevertheless it's solely August and the working system gained't be right here till this fall. However I’ve excellent news: you may take a look at out all of the options now by downloading and putting in Apple's public beta, which CEO Tim Prepare dinner says is (together with the opposite present beta working programs) "by far the most well-liked developer betas we’ve had," 9to5Mac reports. You may as well check out our preview of the iOS 26 public beta launch, which exhibits off the contemporary residence and lock display redesign. Known as Liquid Glass, the brand new translucent look will lengthen throughout all of Apple's upcoming working programs. The overhaul is one in all a number of large 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 stored its iOS roadmap centered extra on primary 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 example: Apple execs outlined the power to weed out spam texts or different unknown senders and an choice to carry your spot on a cellphone name whenever you've been ready for a consultant to choose up. Plus, a treasured function that we took as a right is coming again (trace: it's 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 shouldn't count on any main adjustments within the present betas. However there are reviews 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. The corporate can also be reportedly engaged on a 'stripped-down' AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT.
With every beta, it looks as if extra new enhancements are popping up, like this 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 remaining model). Need to see the total checklist of recent options coming this fall? Learn on.
What’s iOS 26?
The present iPhone working system is iOS 18, and Apple remains to be actively updating it — model 18.6 was only recently launched. However don't count on to see iOS 19. As an alternative, 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 programs will probably be launched in late 2025, they're all designated "26" to replicate the yr forward. (In the meantime, iOS 18 remains to be getting new variations this summer season, too.)
What’s Liquid Glass design?
Let's be sincere. Out of the whole lot 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 seemed just about the identical yr after yr — the final thrilling factor (in my view) was the choice so as to add your personal 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, properly, the apps and widgets are clear. Nevertheless, the display can nonetheless adapt to darkish and light-weight modes, relying on environment. You'll 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 route, even when it's considerably harking back to Microsoft's translucent Home windows Vista Aero designs from almost twenty years in the past.
That mentioned, as of the discharge of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already integrated some consumer suggestions into the design, dialing again the transparency in at the very least some locations. And whereas it’s going to proceed to evolve, Apple customers gained't be capable of escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes extra cohesive. Right here's 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 checklist of recent options. Among the many most worthwhile:
Telephone app redesign: You'll lastly be capable of scroll by contacts, current calls and voicemail messages all on one display. It additionally comes with a brand new function referred to as Maintain Help that'll notify you when an agent involves the cellphone so you may keep away from the elevator music and proceed on with different duties.
Stay Translation in Telephone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the power to have a dialog by way of cellphone name or textual content message with somebody who speaks one other language. Stay 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're consuming at or whose automotive you're taking up a highway journey.
Filtering unknown senders in Messages: For those who haven't obtained spam texts about unpaid tolls or different citations, you're 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 function will help you seek for something that's in your iPhone display. As an example, in case you spot a pair of footwear somebody is sporting in an Instagram picture, you may screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to search out these footwear (or related ones) on-line.
Images tabs are again: For anybody who's nonetheless annoyed with the Images adjustments made final yr, you'll be glad to know that your tabs are coming again. Library and Collections could have their very own separate areas so that you don't need to scroll to infinity to search out what you're in search of.
FaceTime "Communication Security" function: A more moderen 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 toddler security function that makes use of on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privateness points.
Which iPhones will be capable of improve to iOS 26?
A couple of iPhone fashions that run the present model of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — gained't be suitable with the most recent improve. However any iPhones launched in 2019 or later will probably be eligible for the iOS 26 replace.
-
iPhone SE (second era or later)
-
iPhone 11
-
iPhone 11 Professional
-
iPhone 11 Professional Max
-
iPhone 12
-
iPhone 12 mini
-
iPhone 12 Professional
-
iPhone 12 Professional Max
-
iPhone 13
-
iPhone 13 mini
-
iPhone 13 Professional
-
iPhone 13 Professional Max
-
iPhone 14
-
iPhone 14 Plus
-
iPhone 14 Professional
-
iPhone 14 Professional Max
-
iPhone 15
-
iPhone 15 Plus
-
iPhone 15 Professional
-
iPhone 15 Professional Max
-
iPhone 16e
-
iPhone 16
-
iPhone 16 Plus
-
iPhone 16 Professional
-
iPhone 16 Professional Max
Not listed below are the presumed new iPhone 17 fashions (or perhaps iPhone 26?) which are all however sure to be introduced and launched in September.
How you can set up iOS 26 beta
The iOS 26 public beta is now obtainable to obtain by way of the Apple Beta Software program Program. For those who're not already a member, you'll want to enroll to check out all the most recent options. Simply go to beta.apple.com and join together with your cellphone quantity or e-mail handle. It's free.
When you're in, you may set up it by going to Settings > Normal > Software program Replace and choosing iOS 26 public beta.
A phrase of warning: Don't join together with your important iPhone until you're OK with any dangers that happen with utilizing an OS that isn't finalized.
When will the ultimate model of iOS 26 be launched?
iOS 26 will probably be launched to the general public this fall. It normally 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.
For those who're extra within the Apple Intelligence options coming, right here's the whole lot 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, August 4: Famous that Apple is reportedly engaged on a ChatGPT rival.
Replace, August 1: Added quote from Tim Prepare dinner about iOS 26.
Replace, July 31: Famous that iOS 18.6 is now obtainable.
Replace, July 24: Famous the iOS 26 public beta is now obtainable.
Replace, July 3: Famous new FaceTime function discovered within the developer beta.
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.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cell/apple-ios-26-beta-how-to-download-the-update-on-your-iphone-new-features-like-liquid-glass-and-everything-else-you-need-to-know-135749293.html?src=rss