iOS 26 has arrived, bringing a fresh design and exciting new features. The update introduces Liquid Glass, a bold new visual overhaul inspired by visionOS. This design language aims to make the digital world feel more natural and alive with crystal-like UI elements and dynamic touch responses.
Apple has even incorporated a 3D effect into wallpapers, making them feel more interactive.
One of the most noticeable changes is the Lock screen, which now features Liquid Glass, providing an enhanced, more responsive user experience. The time widget adapts to the subject of your photos and displays incoming notifications in a more fluid manner. Additionally, Apple has introduced spatial scenes, bringing a sense of depth to the images behind your Lock screen.
The Camera app has also been redesigned with a rounder, more fluid interface, and now includes all photo and video quality options in one place for quick adjustments. The Photos app gets an update with a new visual identity and features like Library and Collections tabs, while any 2D photo can now be transformed into a 3D Spatial Scene.
Safari introduces a smaller, adaptable tab bar that dynamically shrinks as you scroll, giving you more space to view pages. FaceTime is getting a makeover too, with a new landing page that includes personalized contact posters and video messages. Meanwhile, the Phone app introduces a favorites tab, voicemail summaries, and even a Call Screening feature to combat spam calls. Hold Assist will keep you in the same position during calls with companies, notifying you when you’ve reached a real person.
Messages now comes with a host of new features, such as AI-generated backgrounds for chats, polls for group messages, and Apple Cash integration. The Phone app’s spam detection tools are also available here. Apple has overhauled its translation app, Live Translation, which is integrated across Messages, Phone, and FaceTime, offering real-time captions and translation during calls.
CarPlay gets the Liquid Glass treatment as well, introducing light and dark modes, new compact alerts for incoming notifications, and widgets for the CarPlay UI. New features like CarPlay Ultra will even take over all screens in your car, offering deeper control over features like radio and climate settings.
Apple Music introduces new features like lyrics translation, 3D album artwork, and a new AutoMix function that ensures perfect transitions between songs. The new Games app will help users discover new titles, join friends in games, and explore upcoming events and updates.
Other notable updates include Visual Intelligence, a powerful tool that lets users search for items on their device screens with a simple screenshot. Apple Maps now learns your preferred routes for more efficient trips, while the Wallet app introduces a new boarding pass interface with airport mapping and flight status sharing.
iOS 26 is available now as a developer beta, with a public beta coming next month and the final version set for release in the fall.
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