The whole lot it’s essential to know in regards to the public beta launch, new iPhone options and extra

We’re getting nearer to accessing all of the cool new options coming with Apple iOS 26 this fall. However if you cannot wait that lengthy, you’ll be able to download and install the public beta as of right now. Want extra of a guided tour? Take a look at our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release. We’re fairly excited for the recent residence and lock display screen redesign we have been ready to see for years. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the brand new appear and feel will prolong throughout all of Apple’s upcoming working programs. The overhaul was one in every of a number of large 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 stored its iOS roadmap targeted extra on fundamental high quality of life enhancements this yr. There are a number of helpful additions coming to the Telephone and Messages apps in your iPhone, for example: Apple execs outlined the power to weed out spam texts or different unknown senders and an choice to carry your spot on a telephone name once you’ve been ready for a consultant to select up. Plus, a treasured function that we took without any consideration is coming again (trace: it is within the Pictures 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 count on any main adjustments within the present betas. However there are stories that Apple is aiming to present Siri a much bigger mind transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which may make 2026 a pivotal yr.

With every beta, it looks as if further new enhancements are popping up, like a newly found 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). Need to see the complete listing of recent options coming this fall? Learn on.

What’s iOS 26?

Whereas the present iPhone working system is iOS 18, 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, just like automotive mannequin years. So whereas iOS and its sibling working programs shall be launched in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to mirror the yr forward. (In the meantime, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.)

What’s Liquid Glass design?

Let’s be sincere. Out of all the things introduced at WWDC this yr, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone’s residence and lock screens have seemed 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 house 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, properly, the apps and widgets are clear. Nonetheless, the display screen can nonetheless adapt to darkish and lightweight modes, relying on environment. You will additionally discover buttons with a brand new floating design in a number of apps, like Telephone and Maps. They’re designed to be much less distracting than the present buttons, however are nonetheless simple 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 course, even when it is considerably paying homage to Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from practically 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. This is a take 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 listing of recent options. Among the many most worthwhile:

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

Stay Translation in Telephone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the power to have a dialog by way of telephone name or textual content message with somebody who speaks one other language. Stay Translation will translate your dialog in actual time, which ends up in some stop-and-go interactions within the examples Apple shared throughout its presentation.

Polls in group chats: Bored with sorting by what looks as if lots 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 automotive 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 help you seek for something that is in your iPhone display screen. For example, in the event you spot a pair of footwear somebody is sporting in an Instagram photograph, you’ll be able to screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to search out these footwear (or related ones) on-line.

Pictures tabs are again: For anybody who’s nonetheless annoyed with the Photos changes made last year, you may be pleased to know that your tabs are coming again. Library and Collections can have their very own separate areas so you do not have to scroll to infinity to search out what you are searching for.

FaceTime “Communication Security” function: A more recent 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?

A number of iPhone fashions that run the present model of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — will not be suitable with the newest improve. However any iPhones launched in 2019 or later shall be eligible for the iOS 26 update.

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

When will the iOS 26 beta be out there?

As of July 24, the iOS 26 public beta is out there to obtain by way of the Apple Beta Software Program. When you’re not already a member, you may want to enroll to check out all the newest options. Simply go to beta.apple.com and join along with your telephone quantity or e-mail handle. It is free.

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

A phrase of warning: Do not join along with your important iPhone until 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 shall 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.

When you’re extra within the Apple Intelligence options coming, this is everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more throughout WWDC. Additionally, take a look at how iOS 26 screenshots might be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.

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

Replace, July 3: Famous new FaceTime function discovered within the developer beta.

Replace, June 30: Famous ongoing iOS 18 releases, and stories that Apple is contemplating further exterior LLMs for Siri.

Replace, June 25: Famous adjustments added in iOS 26 beta 2.

When you purchase one thing by a hyperlink on this article, we might earn fee.