iOS 26 arrives with the Liquid Glass visual overhaul

The major thing about iOS 26, aside from the abrupt name change, is the major visual redesign, which adopts the ethereal glass-like design language that debuted with Apple’s visionOS software. 

Liquid Glass: Apple’s largest redesign in more than a decade

The new design language is called Liquid Glass.

The style combines fluidity and clarity to emulate glass and dynamically reacts to how you use and even move your device around. Interfaces are rethought with translucency and adaptability in mind, adding a functional layer that is consistent when you move between apps and screens. Notifications, Control Center, and most iOS interfaces are now transparent. 

iOS 26 now also introduces new parallax lock screen wallpapers, which react to the way you move your device. 

Liquid Glass is consistent across iOS, watchOS, macOS, and iPadOS.

Camera

The camera app has also scored a pretty drastic redesign. The still photography and video 

Safari

The iOS browser now displays webpages in full screen, with the tab bar being both translucent and shrinking when you swipe around for a pretty minimalistic look.

Phone

The phone app now lets you combine your favorites, recent calls and voicemails, contacts and keypad are now combined, making the app that much more useful than before. 

Call Screening now lets you check out what’s that unknown number calling you.

If you’re stuck on hold, the phone app detects hold music and will automatically wait out for you. Once a live agent joins the call, the app will alert you. 

Messages

You can now also create polls and request, send, or receive Apple Cash in group chats. 

The app will now screen new unknown senders and spam for you, appearing silenced. 

Genmoji & Image Playground

Apple’s Apple Intelligence Genmoji scores cool new features and gives you much more control in crafting just the perfect emoji to react to that meme in the group chat. We also get new ChatGPT illustration style. 

Live translation

iOS 26 now also offers Live Translation which lets you enjoy live translation in a slew of apps, like FaceTime. 

Apple Music

Apple Music adds AutoMix and Lyrics Pronunciation. You can also pin your favorite tracks, artists, or playlists at the top of the screen, a la YouTube Music. 

Apple Maps

The navigation app will now proactively suggest routes based on traffic, road closures, and other obstructions. 

Apple Pay

Wallet can now use Apple Intelligence to pull order details from your Mail app, keeping all your orders in one place. 

The app can now also keep more and more digital car keys from many more car brands. 

Games

New iOS app alert! Games will keep track of all the games you have on your iPhone, allowing you to keep them all neat and tidy in one place. Social aspects include your friends’ achievement scores and challenges; you can even turn single-player games into multiplayer ones by challenging friends to complete challenges and feats.

Visual Intelligence

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