iOS 26 Ushers in “Liquid Glass” Design and AI-Powered Features
Apple’s iOS 26 introduces a notable visual overhaul with a new “Liquid Glass” design, alongside a suite of AI-driven features focused on enhancing interaction and usability. This marks the largest design change to iOS since iOS 7 over a decade ago, drawing inspiration from visionOS and aiming for a unified aesthetic across Apple’s product line.
The new interface features floating, reflective controls that blend with the background. apple acknowledges potential user concerns regarding the transparency effects and provides an option to reduce them through Accessibility settings.
A core component of iOS 26 is Apple Intelligence, bringing features like Live Translation to phone calls, FaceTime sessions, and messages, all processed directly on the device. The Phone app gains a “wait queue aid” to notify users when a live representative is available, alongside improved spam call and message filtering.Group chats now support the creation of polls.
Further enhancements include a simplified Photo app,carplay support for live activities,and a dedicated apple Games app for game discovery. The Password app now records the history of passwords used. A new feature allows users to utilize screenshots as search queries, sending images directly to Google or analyzing them via chat. the Alarm app offers customizable snooze times ranging from one to fifteen minutes.
The “Liquid Glass” design has elicited mixed reactions. While some praise its modern aesthetic, others express concerns about readability, particularly on older iPhone models, and describe the animations as inconsistent. Apple’s inclusion of a transparency reduction option demonstrates responsiveness to user feedback.
iOS 26 will be compatible with iPhone 11 and newer models. This marks the first time older devices will be dropped from support; specifically, the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max (equipped with the A12 chip) will not receive the update. Apple is also adopting a year-based versioning system, naming the update iOS 26 for 2025.
Resources Available:
* iPhone Lexicon: A free lexicon explaining 53 iPhone terms, including pronunciation guides, is available for iOS beginners: https://www.info.computerwissen-online.com/apple/iphone/lexikon/?af=KOOP_CW_AG_DNV_YES_IPHONE-LEXIKON_X-CWAHN-BGPID_637320
* iPhone Starter Package: A free PDF guide assists new iPhone users with setup, gestures, app installation, and data transfer from Android or older iPhones: https://www.info.computerwissen-online.com/apple/iphone/iphone-starterpaket/?af=KOOP_CW_AG_DNV_YES_IPHONE-STARTERPAKET_X-CWAHN-BGPID_637320
The long-term impact of the “Liquid Glass” design will become clearer as developers integrate the new elements into their applications. The coming weeks will determine whether this bold visual shift will become a defining characteristic of Apple’s ecosystem.
