The right way to obtain the replace in your iPhone, new options like Liquid Glass and all the pieces else you want to know

You’ve got seen all of the adjustments coming to your iPhone and now you are desperately able to improve to iOS 26 — nevertheless it’s solely August and the working system will not be right here till this fall. However I’ve excellent news: you’ll be able to take a look at out all of the options now by downloading and installing Apple’s public beta, which CEO Tim Cook dinner says is (together with the opposite present beta working techniques) “by far the most well-liked developer betas we’ve had,” 9to5Mac reports. You can even check out our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release, which reveals off the contemporary residence and lock display screen redesign. Known as Liquid Glass, the brand new translucent look will prolong throughout all of Apple’s upcoming working techniques. The overhaul is considered one of a number of huge adjustments coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the remainder of Apple’s software program suite, all of which had been showcased throughout 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 Cellphone and Messages apps in your iPhone, for example: Apple execs outlined the flexibility to weed out spam texts or different unknown senders and an possibility to carry your spot on a telephone name if you’ve been ready for a consultant to choose up. Plus, a treasured function that we took with no consideration is coming again (trace: it is 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 “in the coming year,” so that you should not anticipate any main adjustments within the present betas. However there are experiences that Apple is aiming to present Siri an even bigger mind transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which might 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 like further 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 download iOS 26 (each the betas and ultimate model). Wish to see the complete record of recent 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 — version 18.6 was only in the near past launched. However do not anticipate 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, much like automobile mannequin years. So whereas iOS and its sibling working techniques will probably be launched in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to replicate the yr forward. (In the meantime, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.)

What’s Liquid Glass design?

Let’s be trustworthy. Out of all the pieces introduced at WWDC this yr, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone’s residence and lock screens have appeared 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 screen 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 material” since, nicely, the apps and widgets are clear. Nevertheless, the display screen can nonetheless adapt to darkish and light-weight modes, relying on environment. You will additionally discover buttons with a brand new floating design in a number of apps, like Cellphone and Maps. They’re designed to be much less distracting than the present buttons, however are nonetheless straightforward 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 is considerably harking back to Microsoft’s translucent 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 incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing again the transparency in not less than some locations. And whereas it would proceed to evolve, Apple customers will not be capable to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes extra cohesive. Here is a have a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 in your desktop.

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

iOS 26 has a laundry record of recent options. Among the many most worthwhile:

Cellphone app redesign: You will lastly be capable to scroll via contacts, latest calls and voicemail messages all on one display screen. It additionally comes with a brand new function referred to 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.

Reside Translation in Cellphone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the flexibility to have a dialog through telephone name or textual content message with somebody who speaks one 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 group chats: Uninterested in sorting via what looks like tons of of messages in your group chat? You and your mates will quickly be capable to create polls in group messages for deciding issues like which brunch spot you are consuming at or whose automobile you take on a street journey.

Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you have not acquired spam texts about unpaid tolls or different citations, you are 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 function will assist you to seek for something that is in your iPhone display screen. As an illustration, for those who spot a pair of footwear somebody is carrying in an Instagram photograph, you’ll be able to screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to seek out these footwear (or related ones) on-line.

Photographs tabs are again: For anybody who’s nonetheless annoyed with the Photos changes made last year, you will be blissful to know that your tabs are coming again. Library and Collections could have their very own separate areas so you do not have to scroll to infinity to seek out what you are on the lookout for.

FaceTime “Communication Security” function: A more moderen addition to iOS 26 seems to be the FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature 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 to improve to iOS 26?

Just a few iPhone fashions that run the present model of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — will not be appropriate with the newest improve. However any iPhones launched in 2019 or later will probably be eligible for the iOS 26 update.

Not listed below are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or possibly iPhone 26?) which are all however sure to be introduced and launched in September.

The right way to set up iOS 26 beta

The iOS 26 public beta is now accessible to obtain through the Apple Beta Software Program. In case you’re not already a member, you will want to enroll to check out all the newest options. Simply go to beta.apple.com and join together with your telephone quantity or electronic mail tackle. It is free.

When you’re in, you’ll be able to set up it by going to Settings > Common > Software program Replace and choosing iOS 26 public beta.

A phrase of warning: Do not join together with your important iPhone except you are OK with any dangers that happen with utilizing an OS that is not finalized.

When will the ultimate model of iOS 26 be launched?

iOS 26 will probably be launched to the general public this fall. It often 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.

In case you’re extra within the Apple Intelligence options coming, here is everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more throughout WWDC. Additionally, try 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 Cook dinner about iOS 26.

Replace, July 31: Famous that iOS 18.6 is now accessible.

Replace, July 24: Famous the iOS 26 public beta is now accessible.

Replace, July 3: Famous new FaceTime function 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 adjustments added in iOS 26 beta 2.

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