Ready till the autumn can really feel like ages whenever you're able to improve your iPhone to iOS 26. However there's excellent news: you’ll be able to check out all of the options now by downloading and putting in Apple's public beta, which CEO Tim Prepare dinner says is (with the opposite present beta working programs) "by far the preferred developer betas we’ve had," 9to5Mac reports. We additionally previewed the iOS 26 public beta launch, which exhibits off the contemporary dwelling and lock display redesign we've been asking to see for years. Referred to as Liquid Glass, the brand new translucent look will prolong throughout all of Apple's upcoming working programs. The overhaul is considered one of a number of massive modifications coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the remainder of Apple's software program suite, all of which have been showcased through the firm's WWDC keynote on June 9.
After overpromising on AI plans final yr, Apple saved its iOS roadmap targeted 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, for example: Apple execs outlined the power to weed out spam texts or different unknown senders and an possibility to carry your spot on a telephone name whenever 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's within the Photographs 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 modifications within the present betas. However there are experiences 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.
With every beta, it looks like further new enhancements are popping up, like a newly found FaceTime characteristic that'll freeze your video if it detects nudity. Most newer iPhone fashions are eligible to obtain iOS 26 (each the betas and ultimate model). Need to see the complete listing of latest options coming this fall? Learn on.
What’s iOS 26?
The present iPhone working system is iOS 18, and Apple continues to be actively updating it — model 18.6 was only recently launched. However don't count on to see iOS 19. As a substitute, 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, just like automobile mannequin years. So whereas iOS and its sibling working programs 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 season, too.)
What’s Liquid Glass design?
Let's be trustworthy. Out of every thing introduced at WWDC this yr, the brand new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone's dwelling and lock screens have seemed just about the identical yr after yr — the final thrilling factor (for my part) was the choice so as to add your personal aesthetic to your house 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 course, even when it's considerably harking back to Microsoft's translucent Home windows Vista Aero designs from almost twenty years in the past.
That stated, as of the discharge of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already included some person suggestions into the design, dialing again the transparency in at the least some locations. And whereas it should proceed to evolve, Apple customers gained't be capable to 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 listing of latest options. Among the many most worthwhile:
Telephone app redesign: You'll lastly be capable to scroll by means of contacts, current calls and voicemail messages all on one display. It additionally comes with a brand new characteristic known as Maintain Help that'll notify you when an agent involves the telephone so you’ll be able to 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 telephone 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 means of what looks like a whole lot of messages in your group chat? You and your pals will quickly be capable to create polls in group messages for deciding issues like which brunch spot you're consuming at or whose automobile you're taking over a highway journey.
Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you happen to haven't acquired 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: Much like a reverse Google picture search, this new characteristic will can help you seek for something that's in your iPhone display. As an illustration, in case you spot a pair of sneakers somebody is carrying in an Instagram picture, you’ll be able to screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to seek out these sneakers (or related ones) on-line.
Photographs tabs are again: For anybody who's nonetheless pissed off with the Photographs modifications made final yr, you'll be comfortable to know that your tabs are coming again. Library and Collections could have their very own separate areas so that you don't should scroll to infinity to seek out what you're on the lookout for.
FaceTime "Communication Security" characteristic: A more moderen addition to iOS 26 seems to be the FaceTime "Communication Security" characteristic that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The characteristic seems to be a toddler security characteristic that makes use of on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privateness points.
Which iPhones will be capable to improve to iOS 26?
Just a few iPhone fashions that run the present model of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — gained't be suitable with the newest improve. However any iPhones launched in 2019 or later will likely be eligible for the iOS 26 replace.
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iPhone SE (second era or later)
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iPhone 11
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iPhone 11 Professional
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iPhone 11 Professional Max
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iPhone 12
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iPhone 12 mini
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iPhone 12 Professional
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iPhone 12 Professional Max
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iPhone 13
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iPhone 13 mini
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iPhone 13 Professional
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iPhone 13 Professional Max
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iPhone 14
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iPhone 14 Plus
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iPhone 14 Professional
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iPhone 14 Professional Max
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iPhone 15
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iPhone 15 Plus
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iPhone 15 Professional
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iPhone 15 Professional Max
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iPhone 16e
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iPhone 16
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iPhone 16 Plus
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iPhone 16 Professional
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iPhone 16 Professional Max
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.
The best way to set up iOS 26 beta
The iOS 26 public beta is now obtainable to obtain by way of the Apple Beta Software program Program. If you happen to're not already a member, you'll want to enroll to check out all the newest options. Simply go to beta.apple.com and join together with your telephone quantity or e-mail deal with. It's free.
When you're in, you’ll be able to set up it by going to Settings > Basic > Software program Replace and choosing iOS 26 public beta.
A phrase of warning: Don't join together with your primary 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 likely be launched to the general public this fall. It often is available in September, inside per 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.
If you happen to're extra within the Apple Intelligence options coming, right here's every thing Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and extra throughout WWDC. Additionally, try how iOS 26 screenshots could possibly be an intriguing preview of Apple's delayed Siri rework.
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 characteristic discovered within the developer beta.
Replace, June 30: Famous ongoing iOS 18 releases, and experiences that Apple is contemplating further exterior LLMs for Siri.
Replace, June 25: Famous modifications added in iOS 26 beta 2.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cell/everything-you-need-to-know-about-ios-26-beta-release-how-to-download-it-on-your-iphone-new-apple-features-like-liquid-glass-and-more-135749961.html?src=rss