The entirety to understand concerning the unfastened iPhone tool replace via NewsFlicks

Concentrate up, iPhone homeowners! iOS 26 is after all to be had to obtain, in addition to all of Apple’s different new working methods. The very first thing you can realize after the set up is a brand new transparent design language Apple dubs Liquid Glass. The translucent glance will also be discovered inside apps in addition to your lock and residential displays. The overhaul is considered one of a number of giant adjustments that include iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and the remainder of Apple’s tool suite.

You can additionally see more than one helpful additions within the Telephone and Messages apps. As an example, the power to weed out unsolicited mail texts or unknown senders and an strategy to hang your spot on a telephone name whilst you’ve been looking forward to a consultant to select up. And for amusing, you’ll be able to now create polls in crew texts. Different new enhancements coming come with a showed AirPods reside translation function, and a brand new bouncy animation at the passcode display and within the Regulate Middle.

Should you do not need a appropriate telephone however plan to improve, Apple unveiled a number of new fashions at its iPhone 17 tournament — that comes with the brand new iPhone 17 lineup and the all-new ultra-thin iPhone Air. Should you neglected the keynote, you’ll be able to atone for the whole lot Apple introduced right here or rewatch the entire iPhone 17 release. The corporate rounded out its bulletins with 3 new Apple Watch fashions, in addition to the brand-new AirPods Professional 3.

Maximum more recent iPhone fashions are eligible to obtain iOS 26. We’ve got rounded up a complete checklist of recent options you can have to take a look at.

What’s iOS 26?

As an alternative of freeing iOS 19, Apple skipped its naming conference forward to iOS 26. The corporate has made up our minds to line up its iOS model numbers with a year-based gadget, very similar to automotive type years. So whilst iOS and its sibling working methods have been launched in 2025, they are all designated “26” to mirror the yr forward.

Apple additionally launched iOS 18.7 along iOS 26 to handle safety problems — nice information in case you do not need a telephone that is eligible to run the newest OS.

What’s Liquid Glass design?

Let’s be truthful. Out of the whole lot introduced at WWDC this yr, the new Liquid Glass design was once the superstar of the display. The iPhone’s house and lock displays have regarded just about the similar yr after yr — the remaining thrilling factor (personally) was once the choice so as to add your personal aesthetic to your house display via customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the house and lock displays’ new facelift is refreshing.

So what precisely is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent subject material” since, smartly, the apps and widgets are transparent. On the other hand, the display can nonetheless adapt to darkish and light-weight modes, relying on setting. You can additionally realize buttons with a brand new floating design in numerous apps, like Telephone and Maps. They are designed to be much less distracting than the present buttons, however are nonetheless simple to peer. Whilst the design overhaul has confirmed to be debatable since its announcement, some — together with Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar — like the brand new route, even though it is moderately paying homage to Microsoft’s translucent Home windows Vista Aero designs from just about 20 years in the past.

That mentioned, whilst in beta mode, Apple integrated some consumer comments into the design, dialing again the transparency in no less than some puts. And whilst it’s going to proceed to conform, Apple customers will not be able to flee it: The corporate says Liquid Glass was once designed to make all of its platforms extra cohesive. Here is a take a look at how the translucent aesthetic seems to be with the brand new macOS Tahoe 26 to your desktop.

What are the brand new and notable options of iOS 26?

iOS 26 has a laundry checklist of recent options. A few of the maximum profitable:

Telephone app redesign: You’ll now scroll thru contacts, fresh calls and voicemail messages all on one display. It additionally comes with a brand new function referred to as Dangle Help that’ll notify you when an agent involves the telephone so you’ll be able to steer clear of the elevator song and proceed on with different duties.

Reside Translation in Telephone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 brings the power to have a dialog by means of telephone name, FaceTime or textual content message with any individual who speaks any other language. Reside Translation makes use of Apple Intelligence and it’s going to 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 crew chats: Bored with sorting thru what turns out like loads of messages on your crew chat? You and your mates can now create polls in crew messages to make a decision such things as which brunch spot you might be consuming at or whose automotive you take on a street go back and forth.

Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you have not won unsolicited mail texts about unpaid tolls or different citations, you might be fortunate. For the ones folks who’ve, the ones aggravating messages will quickly be filtered away in a separate folder.

Visible Intelligence: Very similar to a opposite Google symbol seek, this new function will help you seek for anything else that is to your iPhone display. As an example, in case you spot a couple of trainers any individual is dressed in in an Instagram photograph, you’ll be able to screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to seek out the ones sneakers (or identical ones) on-line.

Pictures tabs are again: For any individual who is been annoyed with remaining yr’s adjustments to the Pictures app, you can be at liberty to understand that your tabs are again. Library and Collections have their very own separate areas so that you do not need to scroll to infinity to seek out what you might be searching for.

Digicam app updates: Navigating the Digicam app will have to be more effective in iOS 26, as all of the buttons and menus are in handy spots — much less swiping, extra photograph taking. Plus, there is a new function that tells you in case your lens must be wiped clean.

FaceTime “Communique Protection” function: A more recent addition to iOS 26 seems to be the FaceTime “Communique Protection” function that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The function seems to be a kid protection function that makes use of on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privateness problems.

New lock display choices: The iPhone lock display is extra customizable in iOS 26, with a cooler clock, 3-d wallpaper results, extra widgets and higher focal point mode choices.

New alarm environment: You can now not be caught with the 9-minute snooze environment on your alarms. As an alternative, you currently find a way to switch your snooze time from one to fifteen mins.

Screenshots glance other: You can realize a number of new options when you are taking a screenshot, together with “spotlight to go looking,” the strategy to seek your symbol on Google and ChatGPT is there for any questions you will have concerning the symbol.

New adjustments with iPadOS 26

Your iPad is not getting left at the back of in relation to giant updates. Here is what to search for.

Multitasking and actual windowing: While you obtain the latest replace, you are able to have more than one apps working to your display on the identical time. Whenever you open an app, it will seem to your display as standard however you are able to resize and transfer it throughout your display to make room for different apps. This selection is non-compulsory so you’ll be able to flip it off if you do not love it.

Visible replace: In conjunction with the opposite new OSes, iPadOS 26 additionally has the Liquid Glass aesthetic. This new glance seems at the lock and residential displays, in addition to the drop-down menus.

New menu bar: While you swipe down to your display, the brand new menu bar will seem with choices like Record, Edit, Home windows and extra. There is additionally a seek possibility if you are searching for one thing explicit.

There is extra past that, so make sure that to take a look at our first impressions of iPadOS 26.

What about AirPods?

AirPods also are getting up to date with iOS 26. Listed below are one of the extra notable purposes.

Enhanced audio recording: Apple calls this “studio-quality” audio recording, and with it, you can realize extra readability whilst in noisy environments.

Digicam far off keep watch over: The use of this, you’ll be able to take a photograph or get started and prevent video recording with only one press to your AirPods. When taking footage, you can get a three-second countdown earlier than your iPhone or iPad snaps the image.

Reside translation function: Reside translation is to be had on AirPods Professional 3, AirPods Professional 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC when paired with iPhones working iOS 26. Apple says that after any individual speaks to you in a unique language, you’ll be able to use your AirPods to translate what they’re pronouncing.

Center fee tracking: Apple presented new AirPods Professional 3 earbuds this month, which come with middle fee tracking. It’ll paintings with Apple’s Well being app and different health apps that monitor middle charges.

Did Siri get an replace?

Siri is in a preserving development. Apple has in the past specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is not on time till some level “within the coming yr,” so you should not be expecting any main adjustments at this time. However there are studies that Apple is aiming to present Siri a larger mind transplant via basing it on third-party synthetic intelligence fashions like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which might make 2026 a pivotal yr. The corporate could also be reportedly operating on a “stripped-down” AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT.

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 — are not appropriate with the newest improve. However any iPhones from 2019 or later shall be eligible for iOS 26:

• iPhone SE (moment technology or later)

When to obtain iOS 26?

iOS 26 has formally been launched to the general public without cost these days, September 15.

If you are extra within the new Apple Intelligence options, this is the whole lot Apple printed for iOS, macOS and extra throughout WWDC. Additionally, take a look at how iOS 26 screenshots may well be an intriguing preview of Apple’s not on time Siri remodel.

Replace, September 15: Famous iOS 26 is formally to be had for obtain.

Replace, September 12: Famous iOS 26 is coming to eligible iPhones in only a few days, timing TBD.

Replace, 11th of September: Added the goods Apple launched at its Tuesday tournament and famous when iOS 26 shall be to be had to obtain.

Replace, September 9: Famous the iPhone tournament is beginning quickly.

Replace, September 8: Famous the iPhone 17 tournament is the next day.

Replace, September 4: Added information about how screenshots are other in iOS 26.

Replace, September 3: Famous Apple is predicted to unencumber iOS 18.7 along iOS 26.

Replace, September 2: Added extra new options coming with iOS 26.

Replace, August 29: Added new segment about Siri and a hyperlink to what is new with the iOS 26 Digicam app.

Replace, August 27: Added the legitimate iPhone 17 tournament date, in addition to the prospective iOS 26 unencumber.

Replace, August 25: Added a rumor about new AirPods Professional having middle fee tracking.

Replace, August 22: Famous that Apple has formally stopped signing iOS 18.6.

Replace, August 20: Famous that iOS 26 public beta 4 and iOS 18.6.2 are actually to be had to obtain.

Replace, August 18: Added information about a possible iOS 18.6 replace.

Replace, August 15: Added to hyperlink to what to anticipate on the Apple iPhone tournament and information about what is to be had within the iOS 26 screenshots editor.

Replace, August 13: Added new AirPods element noticed within the iOS 26 beta.

Replace, August 11: Famous that iOS 26 developer beta has hit beta 6.

Replace, August 8: Added new options coming with iPadOS 26 and AirPods.

Replace, August 6: Famous the discharge of iOS 26 beta 5 and the brand new bouncy function on passcode display and Regulate Middle.

Replace, August 4: Famous that Apple is reportedly operating 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 to be had.

Replace, July 24: Famous the iOS 26 public beta is now to be had.

Replace, July 3: Famous new FaceTime function discovered within the developer beta.

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

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