Feed: Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Feed Link: https://www.engadget.com/
---

Title: Apple iOS 26: Everything you need to know about the next iPhone
operating system

Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2025 13:57:53 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-ios-26-...

Liquid Glass is a huge new change coming to iOS 26. (Apple)

The rumors were true: Apple is skipping past iOS 19 and going right to iOS 26
ΓÇö and it's bringing some pretty cool new features with it. For starters,
the iPhone is finally getting a fresh home and lock screen redesign dubbed
Liquid Glass, a look and feel that will extend across all of Apple's upcoming
operating systems. The overhaul was one of several big changes coming to iOS,
macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple's software suite, all of which were
showcased during the company's WWDC keynote on June 9.

After overpromising on AI plans at WWDC 2024, Apple kept its iOS roadmap
focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are
multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your
iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts
or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when
you've been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured
feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it's in the Photos
app).

Keep reading to check out the most notable features coming to your iPhone
this fall, according to Apple. Also, make sure your iPhone is eligible to
download the iOS 26 update (thankfully, most recent models are).

What is iOS 26?

While the current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the
numbering ahead to iOS 26 later this year. The company has decided to line up
its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years.
So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025,
they're all designated "26" to reflect the year ahead.

It's official, we're moving to iOS 26. (Apple) What is Liquid Glass design?

Let's be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new
Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone's home and lock
screens have looked pretty much the same year after year ΓÇö the last
exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to
your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and
lock screens' new facelift is refreshing.

So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a "new translucent material"
since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still
adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You'll also notice
buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps.
They're designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are
still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial
since its announcement, some ΓÇö including Engadget's own Devindra Hardawar
ΓÇö like the new direction, even if it's somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft's
translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago.

Thankfully, it appears you'll be able to dial the transparency up and down to
your liking. And love it or hate it, Apple users won't be able to escape it:
Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes more cohesive. Here's a
look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26
on your desktop.

What are the new and notable features of iOS 26?

iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile:

Phone app redesign: You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent
calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new
feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the
phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks.

Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the
ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone
who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your
conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in
the examples Apple shared during its presentation.

Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of
messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create
polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you're
eating at or whose car you're taking on a road trip.

Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven't received spam texts
about unpaid tolls or other citations, you're lucky. For those of us who
have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate
folder.

Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new
feature will allow you to search for anything that's on your iPhone screen.
For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram
photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes
(or similar ones) online.

Photos tabs are back: For anyone who's still frustrated with the Photos
changes made last year, you'll be happy to know that your tabs are coming
back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you
don't have to scroll to infinity to find what you're looking for.

Apple's Hold Assist will be nifty for those pesky services that put you on
hold for 10 or more minutes. (Apple) Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to
iOS 26?

A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS ΓÇö iPhone XR, XS and
XS Max ΓÇö won't be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones
released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update.

iPhone SE (second generation or later)

iPhone 11

iPhone 11 Pro

iPhone 11 Pro Max

iPhone 12

iPhone 12 mini

iPhone 12 Pro

iPhone 12 Pro Max

iPhone 13

iPhone 13 mini

iPhone 13 Pro

iPhone 13 Pro Max

iPhone 14

iPhone 14 Plus

iPhone 14 Pro

iPhone 14 Pro Max

iPhone 15

iPhone 15 Plus

iPhone 15 Pro

iPhone 15 Pro Max

iPhone 16e

iPhone 16

iPhone 16 Plus

iPhone 16 Pro

iPhone 16 Pro Max

Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?)
that are all but certain to be announced and released in September.

When will the iOS 26 beta be available?

The iOS 26 public beta will become available in July via the Apple Beta
Software Program. If you're not already a member, you'll need to sign up to
try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with
your phone number or email address. It's free.

Once you're in and the beta is available, you can install it by going to
Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.

A word of caution: Don't sign up with your main iPhone unless you're OK with
any risks that occur with using an OS that isn't finalized.

When will the final version of iOS 26 be released?

iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in
September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out
to iPhone users on September 16 ΓÇö exactly one week after the iPhone 16
lineup was announced.

If you're more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here's
everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check
out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple's delayed
Siri rework.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-ios-26-...
about-the-next-iphone-operating-system-135749586.html?src=rss

---
VRSS v2.1.180528