Starting Monday, Apple has released its iOS 26 software update for iPhones, which is compatible with iPhone 11, iPhone SE 2, and models from later generations. The most notable feature of iOS 26 is Apple’s Liquid Glass design, offering a “glassy” appearance on the screen. Additional features include a call screening assistant, a new gaming app, an in-app translation function, and upgrades to the Genmoji and Image Playground apps.
Liquid Glass Design
The Liquid Glass aesthetics represent a significant visual transformation for iOS in years, drawing inspiration from the Vision Pro interface. The design aims to create an impression of translucent glass elements. This new look has introduced some readability challenges, particularly regarding background elements.
Since June, Apple has refined the appearance of the interface through various beta versions. While the stable version of iOS 26 is now available, users may experience further visual adjustments aimed at improving readability and usability in the following months. Some users may initially find the new design somewhat disorienting.
Updates to Apple Apps
The Phone app has been redesigned for a more unified experience. Users will find their favorites displayed in a card format alongside recent calls and voicemails. Additionally, a new call screening feature prompts unknown callers to provide their name and the purpose of their call, allowing users to make informed decisions about whether to answer.
iOS 26 also enhances the Messages app, introducing features akin to those in apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, including group polls and typing indicators. Furthermore, the spam filter for messages has been improved, categorizing messages from unknown senders into a separate folder.
AI Features and Additional Improvements
This update incorporates AI-driven translation in several apps, including Messages and FaceTime, supporting multiple languages. Additionally, live translation functionality for AirPods has been introduced. iOS 26 also enhances visual intelligence capabilities to recognize screen content, which can auto-suggest calendar events based on context.
- New alarm customization allows users to set snooze times from 1 to 15 minutes.
- The Wallet app has received a digital ID feature for TSA checkpoint presentations.
- Voice recording improvements offer input source selection and voice isolation features.
- The App Store now has accessibility nutrition labels, indicating support for various features like VoiceOver.
- Parental controls have been updated to restrict communication from new phone numbers without approval.
For a complete list of new features, you can check the offerings included in iOS 26 by going to Settings>General>Software Update to download the latest version.
