Everything You Need To Know About iOS 26, Apple's Biggest iOS Redesign Since iOS 7—Liquid Glass, AI Features And More
Apple Inc. is set to launch iOS 26 on September 15, featuring a significant redesign called "Liquid Glass," which enhances translucency and depth across all Apple platforms. The update includes AI-driven features like Live Translation in core apps, new tools for developers, and a revamped Camera and Photos app. Enhancements in the Phone app include Call Screening and Hold Assist, while AirPods and CarPlay receive upgrades. iOS 26 also introduces Adaptive Power for battery preservation and improved privacy features.
Apple Inc. AAPL is set to release iOS 26 on Sept. 15, delivering the most dramatic redesign of iOS in over a decade alongside a host of new AI-driven features.
Liquid Glass: Apple's Biggest Redesign Since iOS 7
The centerpiece of iOS 26 is the new "Liquid Glass" interface, Apple's first major design overhaul since iOS 7.
The design focuses on translucency, depth and real-time reflections that adapt to content and surroundings. From the Lock Screen to Control Center and app icons, almost every interface element now carries a glass-like, dynamic look.
Liquid Glass will also extend across Apple's platforms, including iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, visionOS 26 and tvOS 26, giving users a cohesive visual experience.
Smarter AI With Apple Intelligence
Apple is doubling down on its AI push, expanding Apple Intelligence across core apps. Messages, FaceTime and Phone now support Live Translation, while Visual Intelligence can answer contextual questions about what's on the screen with ChatGPT integration.
New tools include:
- Image Playground for AI-generated art
- Genmoji for custom emoji creation
- Lyrics Translation in Apple Music
- Wallet AI summaries of order tracking
For developers, Apple introduced a Foundation Models framework to embed Apple's AI into third-party apps.
Redesigned Core Apps
The Camera app now has a simplified interface with swipe-based controls, while Photos adds Spatial Scene views for 3D-like wallpapers.
Safari adopts Liquid Glass buttons with an optional floating tab bar. Music, News and Podcasts feature shrinking tab bars for more screen space.
Maps gains Visited Places tracking and smarter route suggestions, while a new Apple Games app consolidates discovery, leaderboards and competitions.
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Smarter Phone And Messaging
The Phone app introduces Call Screening to filter unknown callers and Hold Assist, which waits on hold until a live agent joins. Messages can screen texts from unknown senders, adds customizable backgrounds, polls and Apple Cash transfers in group chats.
AirPods And CarPlay Enhancements
AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 now support studio-quality sound recording and can trigger the iPhone camera with a stem press. CarPlay adopts the Liquid Glass design, with widgets, Live Activities and compact call alerts.
Power, Privacy And Performance
iOS 26 adds Adaptive Power, which adjusts settings like brightness during heavy use to preserve battery life. Privacy features extend to intelligent filtering in Messages and smarter shortcuts that let users automate text summarization or image creation.
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