WWDC 2025: Apple Publicizes iOS 26 With New Liquid Glass Design, Apple Intelligence Enhancements and Extra

iOS 26 was unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Builders Convention (WWDC) 2025 on Monday. The corporate previewed a number of new options and synthetic intelligence (AI) capabilities that can quickly be out there on iPhone. Some of the notable adjustments is to the design language of the OS. Apple has launched a brand new UI dubbed Liquid Glass, which bundles glass-like iconography and different components. The newest model of iOS may even carry Apple Intelligence options and a unified interface within the Telephone app, up to date Digicam app structure, typing indicators in Messages, new CarPlay options, and extra, when it’s rolled out on eligible iPhone fashions later this yr.

iOS 26 Appropriate Fashions

Apple says iOS 26 will probably be provided as a free over-the-air (OTA) software program replace for iPhone 11 and later handsets. Nonetheless, the Apple Intelligence options will probably be restricted to the iPhone 16 sequence and iPhone 15 Professional fashions.

Registered Apple builders can obtain iOS 26 on their gadgets and begin testing out the brand new options. A public beta will probably be out there by way of the Apple Beta Software program Program subsequent month.

Visible Enhancements in iOS 26

In accordance with Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President (SVP) of Software program Engineering at Apple, Liquid Glass in iOS 26 is a brand new translucent materials that displays and refracts its surrounding visible components. It’s carried out throughout controls, navigation, app icons, and widgets within the OS. This new design language brings new customisation choices for the house and lock screens, enabling customers to customize app icons and widgets with a brand new clear look.

Photograph Credit score: Apple

On the iPhone’s lock display, the time widget now adapts to the free area in a picture, shrinking and increasing routinely. In the meantime, there’s additionally a 3D impact which seems when customers transfer their iPhone.

iOS 26 additionally features a streamlined structure within the Digicam app, separate tab for Library and Collections views within the Pictures app, flowing internet pages in Safari, and a redesigned tab bar in apps like Apple Music, Information and Podcasts. This bar is alleged to drift close to the highest and dynamically shrink to focus on the content material on the display.

Apple Intelligence Updates

Constructing upon the introduction of Apple Intelligence options on iPhone from final yr, Apple is increasing upon its capabilities. It has launched Stay Translation which is built-in in apps like Messages, FaceTime, and Telephone. Powered by the corporate’s proprietary on-device AI fashions, this characteristic routinely interprets textual content and audio in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese language, and different languages.

Photograph Credit score: Apple

Updates to Visible Intelligence, Apple’s various for Google’s Circle-to-Search, allow customers to ask ChatGPT questions on what they’re presently on their display. They will additionally seek for related photos and merchandise on Google, Etsy, and different supported apps. Additional, it routinely recognises if a consumer is an occasion and suggests them so as to add it to their calendar with date, time, and different key particulars.

Apple has additionally launched AI-powered shortcuts and devoted actions for Writing Instruments and Picture Playground. The corporate’s AI mannequin may determine and summarise particulars, reminiscent of bill in emails acquired from retailers. Customers may combine their favorite emojis, Genmojis, and descriptions for distinctive creations. In the meantime, the brand new Basis Fashions framework supplies builders entry to Apple’s on-device basis mannequin which powers Apple Intelligence.

Adjustments to Apps

Apple has revamped the Telephone app with a unified structure which mixes the Favourites, Recents, and Voicemails tabs. It additionally takes benefit of Name Screening which makes use of Stay Voicemail to collect info from the caller, enabling the recipient to resolve whether or not they want to decide it up. However, Maintain Help can turn out to be useful when the consumer is caught on maintain, notifying them when the individual on the opposite finish of the road, reminiscent of an agent, is offered.

With iOS 26, customers can display messages from unknown senders within the Messages app, which seem in a devoted folder and stay silenced except chosen in any other case. Customers may create polls, generate backgrounds for chats utilizing Apple Intelligence, and see typing indicators in group chats.

There are Lyrics Translation and Lyrics Pronunciation options in Apple Music, together with an AutoMix characteristic that makes use of AI to seamlessly transition from one observe to the following utilizing time stretching and beat matching. In the meantime, Apple Maps will get a characteristic dubbed Visited Locations which allows the consumer to recollect the locations they have been. Apple says iPhone can use on-device AI to analyse their each day route and current them with a most popular possibility, whereas additionally notifying them of potential delays.

Along with updates, Apple has launched a brand new app dubbed Apple Video games. It’s claimed to behave as a one-stop-shop for all gaming wants of iPhone customers. It presents customers with an summary of the actions of their video games together with main occasions. Additional, they’ll additionally launch the sport from the app and change between them.

New CarPlay Options

With iOS 26, Apple has introduced a compact view for incoming calls in CarPlay. It lets customers examine who’s calling them with out lacking out on upcoming instructions. The replace additionally brings Tapbacks and pinned conversations to Messages, together with widgets and Stay Actions.

Additions to AirPods

Apple says iOS 26 expands upon the prevailing capabilities of its TWS merchandise, particularly the AirPods 4 and the AirPods Professional (2nd era). Interviewers, podcasters, singers, and others can now document audio with clearer high quality utilizing the studio high quality audio recording characteristic. Apple guarantees “extra pure vocal texture and readability” throughout cellphone calls on the iPhone.

In the meantime, the brand new digital camera distant characteristic permits the AirPods to perform as a digital camera shutter; a easy press and maintain of the AirPods stem takes a photograph through the native Digicam app or some other third-party app. It could additionally begin or cease a video recording on an iPhone.