The Apple iPhone 17 tournament is now only one week away. On Tuesday, September 9, we’re going to after all get to look the brand new iPhone 17 lineup, and — assuming Apple sticks to custom — we must be capable to set up iOS 26 round every week or so after the development. However you shouldn’t have to attend to check out the brand new options as a result of you’ll obtain and set up the newly launched public beta 6 (or iOS 26 developer beta 9 for builders). You’ll see a extra entire view of the brand new options in our preview of the iOS 26 public beta unlock, which presentations off the recent house and lock display screen redesign. Known as Liquid Glass, the translucent glance will lengthen throughout all of Apple’s upcoming running methods. The overhaul is one in every of a number of large adjustments coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the remainder of Apple’s device suite, all of which have been showcased throughout the corporate’s WWDC keynote on June 9.
After overpromising on AI plans final yr, Apple stored its iOS roadmap targeted extra on elementary high quality of lifestyles enhancements this yr. There are a couple of helpful additions coming to the Telephone and Messages apps to your iPhone, for example: Apple pros defined the facility to weed out unsolicited mail texts or different unknown senders and an solution to cling your spot on a telephone name while you’ve been looking forward to a consultant to select up. Plus, a valuable characteristic that we took as a right is coming again (trace: it is within the Pictures app).
With each and every beta, it kind of feels like further new enhancements are doping up, like this new AirPods gesture we are all interested in. With the discharge of the iOS 26 developer beta 5, we noticed extra added options, like a brand new bouncy animation at the passcode display screen and within the Regulate Heart, MacRumors reviews. Some or all of the ones adjustments will most probably quickly migrate into the separate public beta (see underneath). Maximum more moderen iPhone fashions are eligible to obtain iOS 26 (each the betas and ultimate model). Wish to see the total record of recent options coming q4? Learn on.
What’s iOS 26?
The present iPhone running gadget is iOS 18, and Apple continues to be actively updating it — model 18.6.1 used to be launched to repair Apple Watch blood oxygen tracking capability for positive customers in america. Extra just lately, Apple launched 18.6.2 to deal with a vulnerability associated with symbol processing. Apple has formally stopped signing iOS 18.6, MacRumors reviews, this means that it may possibly not be put in to your iPhone because of a “server-side device verification test.” That is lovely customary when more moderen variations are to be had to obtain.
However do not be expecting to look iOS 19 quickly — or ever. As a substitute, Apple is skipping the numbering forward to iOS 26 subsequent month. The corporate has determined to line up its iOS model numbers with a year-based gadget, very similar to automobile fashion years. So whilst iOS and its sibling running methods might be launched in overdue 2025, they are all designated “26” to mirror the yr forward.
It is respectable, we are transferring to iOS 26. (Apple)
What’s Liquid Glass design?
Let’s be truthful. Out of the whole lot introduced at WWDC this yr, the new Liquid Glass design used to be the famous person of the display. The iPhone’s house and lock monitors have seemed just about the similar yr after yr — the final thrilling factor (individually) used to be the choice so as to add your personal aesthetic to your house display screen by means of customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the house and lock monitors’ 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. Then again, the display screen can nonetheless adapt to darkish and lightweight modes, relying on atmosphere. You’ll be able to additionally understand buttons with a brand new floating design in different apps, like Telephone and Maps. They are designed to be much less distracting than the present buttons, however are nonetheless simple to look. Whilst the design overhaul has confirmed to be debatable since its announcement, some — together with Engadget’s personal Devindra Hardawar — like the brand new course, even supposing it is reasonably paying homage to Microsoft’s translucent Home windows Vista Aero designs from just about 20 years in the past.
That stated, as of the discharge of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already included some person comments into the design, dialing again the transparency in no less than some puts. And whilst it’s going to proceed to adapt, Apple customers will be unable to flee it: Liquid Glass used to be designed to make all of Apple’s OSes extra cohesive. Here is a take a look at how the translucent aesthetic will glance 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 record of recent options. A number of the maximum profitable:
Telephone app redesign: You’ll be able to after all be capable to scroll via contacts, contemporary calls and voicemail messages all on one display screen. It additionally comes with a brand new characteristic known as Dangle Help that’ll notify you when an agent involves the telephone so you’ll keep away from the elevator track and proceed on with different duties.
Reside Translation in Telephone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the facility to have a dialog by means of telephone name or textual content message with somebody who speaks every other language. Reside 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 team chats: Uninterested in sorting via what turns out like masses of messages on your team chat? You and your pals will quickly be capable to create polls in team messages for deciding such things as which brunch spot you might be consuming at or whose automobile you take on a highway 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 people 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 characteristic will permit you to seek for the rest that is to your iPhone display screen. For example, in the event you spot a couple of brogues somebody is dressed in in an Instagram picture, you’ll screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to search out the ones footwear (or identical ones) on-line.
Pictures tabs are again: For any individual who is nonetheless annoyed with the Pictures adjustments made final yr, you’ll be able to feel free to grasp that your tabs are coming again. Library and Collections can have their very own separate areas so that you shouldn’t have to scroll to infinity to search out what you might be searching for.
Digital camera app updates: Navigating the Digital camera app is more practical in iOS 26, as the entire buttons and menus are in handy spots — much less swiping, extra picture taking. Plus, there is a new characteristic that tells you in case your lens must be wiped clean.
FaceTime “Verbal exchange Protection” characteristic: A more moderen addition to iOS 26 seems to be the FaceTime “Verbal exchange Protection” characteristic that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The characteristic seems to be a kid protection characteristic that makes use of on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privateness problems.
New lock display screen choices: The iPhone lock display screen will get extra customizable in iOS 26, with a cooler clock, three-D wallpaper results, extra widgets and higher focal point mode choices.
New alarm environment: You’ll be able to not be caught with the 9-minute snooze environment on your alarms. As a substitute, you’ll be able to give you the option to switch your snooze time from one to fifteen mins.
Apple’s Dangle Help might be nifty for the ones pesky products and services that put you on cling for 10 or extra mins. (Apple)
New adjustments coming to iPadOS 26
Your iPad is not getting left at the back of on the subject of large updates. Here is what’s coming q4.
Multitasking and actual windowing: Whilst you obtain the most recent replace, you are able to have a couple of apps working to your display screen on the similar time. When you open an app, it’s going to seem to your display screen as customary however you are able to resize and transfer it throughout your display screen to make room for different apps. This option is not obligatory so you’ll flip it off if you do not find it irresistible.
Visible replace: Together with the opposite new OSes, iPadOS 26 is coming with the Liquid Glass aesthetic. This new glance will seem at the lock and residential monitors, in addition to the drop-down menus.
New menu bar: Whilst you swipe down to your display screen, the brand new menu bar will seem with choices like Document, Edit, Home windows and extra. There may be additionally a seek choice in case you are searching for one thing explicit.
Take a look at our first impressions of iPadOS 26.
What about AirPods?
AirPods also are getting up to date with iOS 26. Listed here are one of the vital extra notable purposes.
Enhanced audio recording: Apple calls this “studio-quality” audio recording, and with it, you’ll be able to understand extra readability whilst in noisy environments.
Digital camera faraway keep an eye on: The usage of this, you’ll take a photograph or get started and prevent video recording with only one press to your AirPods. When taking pictures, you’ll be able to get a three-second countdown earlier than your iPhone or iPad snaps the image.
Reside translation characteristic: Whilst now not formally introduced or showed, it sounds as if that the long-rumored are living translation for AirPods may well be coming with iOS 26. The proof comes from a gadget asset noticed within the in iOS 26 beta appearing a gesture that is induced by means of urgent each earbud stems on the similar time. The picture additionally presentations phrases in different other languages.
Center price tracking (rumored for now): Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes Apple will introduce new AirPods Professional earbuds this yr, which will have center price tracking. It could paintings with Apple’s Well being app and different health apps that observe center charges.
Will Siri get an replace?
Siri is in a conserving trend. 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 within the present betas. However there are reviews that Apple is aiming to present Siri a larger mind transplant by means of 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 may be reportedly running 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 — may not be appropriate with the newest improve. However any iPhones launched in 2019 or later might be eligible for the iOS 26 replace.
iPhone SE (moment era or later)
Now not listed below are the presumed new iPhone 17 fashions (or possibly iPhone 26?) which are all however positive to be introduced and launched in September.
Learn how to set up iOS 26 beta
The iOS 26 public beta is now to be had to obtain by means of the Apple Beta Device Program. If you are now not already a member, you’ll be able to wish to join to take a look at out the entire newest options. Simply talk over with beta.apple.com and join together with your telephone quantity or electronic mail deal with. It is unfastened.
As soon as you might be in, you’ll set up it by means of going to Settings > Basic > Device Replace and deciding on iOS 26 public beta.
A phrase of warning: Do not join together with your primary iPhone except you might be OK with any dangers that happen with the usage of an OS that is not finalized.
When will the general model of iOS 26 be launched?
iOS 26 might be launched to the general public q4. It normally is available in September, inside of every week of the Apple iPhone tournament. Final yr, it rolled out to iPhone customers on September 16 — precisely one week after the iPhone 16 lineup used to be introduced. Because the iPhone 17 tournament falls on September 9 this yr, it is conceivable the downloads will hit our telephones on September 16.
If you are extra within the Apple Intelligence options coming, here 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 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 Digital camera app.
Replace, August 27: Added the respectable iPhone 17 tournament date, in addition to the possible iOS 26 unlock.
Replace, August 25: Added a rumor about new AirPods Professional having center price 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 characteristic on passcode display screen and Regulate Heart.
Replace, August 4: Famous that Apple is reportedly running 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 characteristic discovered within the developer beta.
Replace, June 30: Famous ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reviews that Apple is thinking about further exterior LLMs for Siri.
Replace, June 25: Famous adjustments added in iOS 26 beta 2.
