Apple iOS 26

Apple's iOS 26 is the latest major software update for iPhones, officially announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) annual event on June 9, 2025. The update introduces a ton of new features and improvements and brings a completely new visual style named Liquid Glass, which makes the interface look sleek, transparent, and soft glass-like. This new design refreshes icons, buttons, and widgets to blend perfectly with the wallpaper in a minimalist manner. The final release is due on September 16, 2025, as part of the iPhone 17 series. One of the biggest features of iOS 26 is Apple Intelligence, Apple's new in-built AI system.

A major highlight of iOS 26 is the introduction of Apple Intelligence, Apple’s new built-in AI system. This enables features like real-time translation during calls, AI-generated summaries of messages or screenshots, spam call detection, and smarter suggestions across apps. While the general features of iOS 26 will be available on iPhone 11 and newer, the advanced AI features will only work on iPhone 15 Pro or newer models, which have the A17 Pro chip or better. This change also applies to macOS, iPadOS, and watchOS.

There are also some other improvements such as to Messages (with wallpapers, polls, and group typing indications), Photos (with easier navigation and new effects), Maps (which provides improved routes and delay notifications), CarPlay (which displays directions even while taking calls), and Apple Music (with real-time lyrics). There is also a new Games app that follows your gaming activity across different games.“iOS 26 shines with the gorgeous new design and meaningful improvements to the features users rely on every day, making iPhone even more helpful,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering.

The iOS 26 Developer Beta 1 will be available on July 15, 2025. The public version should come out to all users in September 2025, as per Apple's traditional fall launch schedule. iOS 26 is anticipated to be compatible with all iPhones that are using iOS 18. But support for the models based on the A12 Bionic chip, including iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, would end. The below models are expected to get the update: iPhone 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, and 11 series.

BOOM has debunked misinformation around Apple iOS 26 in June 2025. BOOM fact-checked the claim that Apple had fired Jon Yongfook, claiming he was the lead designer behind liquid glass UI, hours after the iOS 26 announcement event. BOOM found that the X user Jon Yongfook is not an Apple employee. He later clarified that his post about being fired over iOS 26’s Liquid Glass design was a 'satire'.