iOS 26: Apple’s Boldest Redesign in a Decade
- Jomanda Heng
- Sep 20, 2025
- 3 min read
Apple has officially launched iOS 26, and this isn’t just another point update, it’s the company’s most ambitious overhaul since iOS 7. With a new “Liquid Glass” design language, AI-driven intelligence baked into core apps, and tighter ecosystem integration, iOS 26 marks a turning point in how Apple sees the iPhone as both hardware and software.
The Visual Shift: “Liquid Glass”
Apple has reimagined the UI from the ground up. Liquid Glass isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a system-wide rendering model that uses translucency, depth, and light refraction to make the interface feel alive.
Lock Screen & Widgets: Widgets adapt dynamically with translucent layers that refract wallpaper colours.
System Icons: Redesigned with subtle depth, tint options, and fluid animations.
Performance Optimization: Apple claims that the new rendering engine uses GPU acceleration for smoother transitions without draining battery.
For designers and UX nerds, this feels like Apple aligning closer to the spatial computing philosophy it has been pushing with Vision Pro.
Apple Intelligence: Subtle but Everywhere
The star of iOS 26 is Apple Intelligence, Apple’s take on practical, device-side AI. Instead of loud chatbot integrations, Apple is embedding machine learning into daily interactions.
Live Translation 2.0: Real-time speech and text translation now works natively in Phone calls, FaceTime, and Messages. Latency is under 500ms on A17 and newer chips.
Contextual Awareness: Visual Intelligence can interpret what’s on your screen, menus, receipts, and even screenshots, and trigger contextual actions.
Privacy Edge: Unlike competitors, most of this AI runs on-device using the Neural Engine, with heavier models offloaded to Apple’s secure server stack.
This dual approach keeps the iPhone fast while reinforcing Apple’s privacy narrative.
New System Apps & Functional Overhauls
iOS 26 introduces two brand-new apps and several major overhauls:
Games Hub: A centralized library for all installed games, pulling data from Game Centre and App Store Arcade titles. Cloud saves and achievements are surfaced front and centre.
Phone App: Adds Call Screening powered by AI, plus Hold Assist, which listens to automated systems and prompts you when a human answers.
TV App 3.0: Revamped with poster-style artwork, metadata overlays, and tighter integration with Apple TV+ and third-party services.
Mail & Messages: Polls in group chats, generative custom backgrounds, and upgraded spam detection using Apple’s on-device learning models.
Compatibility & Device Limitations
Supported Devices: iPhone 11 and later, with certain features (like real-time translation or advanced Visual Intelligence) requiring A17 or newer chips.
Storage & Update Size: Around 7GB, depending on device model. Apple recommends freeing at least 10GB for a smooth install.
Battery Management: Expect 48-72 hours of faster drain due to post-update indexing of Photos, Messages, and Spotlight.
For developers, Apple’s SDK exposes new APIs for translucent UI elements, real-time translation hooks, and advanced Game Hub integration.
Early User Feedback: The Good & The Pain Points
Battery Drain: Early adopters report up to 25% faster drain in the first day. Apple insists this stabilizes after background indexing finishes.
Legibility Issues: Some testers note that translucency reduces contrast in bright conditions. Accessibility settings now include a Reduce Transparency+ toggle.
Smoothness: On A18 Pro devices (iPhone 16 series), animations run at a locked 120Hz across the OS. Older hardware struggles slightly with heavier blur layers.
iOS 26 Is Strategically Important
This update does more than refresh the iPhone experience. It signals Apple’s roadmap:
Ecosystem Unification: The Liquid Glass aesthetic is already visible in macOS Sequoia and iPadOS 26. Expect VisionOS to follow suit.
AI Positioning: By embedding subtle, privacy-first AI, Apple distances itself from the “chatbot race” and leans into user trust.
Gaming Push: The new Games app + Metal optimizations show Apple is getting serious about iPhone as a primary gaming platform, a shot across the bow for handheld competitors.
For most users: yes. iOS 26 offers tangible benefits, smarter communication tools, a fresh design, and a more capable ecosystem. But if you rely on an older iPhone or need maximum battery stability, waiting for iOS 26.1 may be the safer bet.
The Uncommon Breed
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