Apple iOS 26 Update: Full Details, Features, and Launch Info

June 13, 2025

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Apple iOS 26 Update Gets Liquid Glass and UI Changes

The biggest change in iOS 26 is Liquid Glass. This design looks like real glass and changes based on light. You will see noticeable changes in icons, buttons, and menus. Even Control Center and widgets follow this style.

Apple calls this the future design for the next decade. The design is not just pretty but also smart. It reacts to movement and light changes instantly. Apps such as Safari, Photos, Music, as well as FaceTime will see some noticeable changes. The Lock Screen now shows dynamic 3D wallpapers.

Navigation tools now float over the screen content. Tab bars shrink while scrolling to show more space. They appear again when you scroll up quickly. App windows and toolbars now have rounded corners too. Apple has also shared these tools with developers.

Now you will experience Home Screen icons made in layers. These layers give them a depth effect with motion. The Lock Screen clock now hides behind objects in photos. Safari also removes fixed settings and adds a floating tab bar. You can bring the old menu back if needed.

New Features and Apple Intelligence Tools

iOS 26 introduces powerful AI tools for users. You will see Live Translation in Messages, Phone as well and FaceTime. It lets you talk in different languages easily. The speech and text get auto-translated by the system itself. Apple calls this part of its Apple Intelligence system.

Genmoji allows users to mix emojis and add words. This creates brand-new emoji characters quickly. Image Playground takes help from ChatGPT to generate on a prompt. Visual Intelligence understands the screen and gives instant answers. You can add events or find items directly.

The Shortcuts app now uses AI for smart actions. Making images, summarising text, and many other things is what it does. Reminders will suggest tasks from your emails. It even sorts your reminders by type automatically. Wallet reads your emails and tracks all online orders.

Wallet also adds features like in-store rewards and EMI payments. It now supports real-time flight tracking through Live Activities. Maps remembers visited places and suggests better daily routes. Apple Music now features some enhancements, such as Lyrics Translation as well as Pronunciation help.

The AutoMix tool mixes songs with perfect beats. Messages now filter unknown texts and send them to folders. You can ask for more info or delete them. While using group chats, you can expect features such as Apple Cash and live typing indicators.

You will see Favorites, Recents, as well as Voicemails combined inside Apple apps. A Call Screening feature handles unknown callers. Hold Assist waits on hold and alerts when agents return. CarPlay gets the new Liquid Glass style and smart widgets too.

Apple also added a new Apple Games app. It helps users discover games and view leaderboards. You can also play with friends directly. AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 get studio-level audio support. They now record better and can trigger the camera remotely.

A new Adaptive Power feature manages your battery smartly. It controls brightness and other settings when needed. This improves battery life without changing how you use the phone.

iOS 26 Device Support and Launch Timeline

iOS 26 is now available only for developers. The public beta will be launched in July 2025. A full release will arrive in September 2025. It will launch alongside new iPhone 16 models.

iOS 26 supports all iPhones from iPhone 11 and newer. It does not support iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. Some AI features, like Apple Intelligence, require newer devices. These include the iPhone 15 Pro and the upcoming iPhone 16 series.

Here are the supported iPhones:

iPhone 11 to iPhone 11 Pro Max.
iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max.
iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max.
iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models.
All iPhone 16 models, including iPhone 16e.

Older phones may not get all the new features. Fast processors are needed for full Apple Intelligence support.

The End Note

Apple iOS 26 Update brings a big design change and smart tools. Liquid Glass makes everything look more stylish and alive. AI tools like Genmoji, Live Translation, and Smart Reminders are helpful. Apple plans to release iOS 26 in September 2025. It supports many iPhones, but not the oldest ones.

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