iOS 26 brings a new Liquid Glass UI for a more cohesive experience across Apple devices.
iOS 26 was first previewed at Apple's WWDC 2025 on June 9
Photo Credit: Apple
iOS 26 is set to be released globally, including in India, by Apple today (Monday). The new update for the iPhone was first previewed at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 in June, and several developer and public beta updates were released in subsequent weeks. At its ‘Awe Dropping' event on September 9, the tech giant announced that the latest iPhone 17 models would be the first phones to run the OS out-of-the-box. While the new handsets aren't available for purchase until September 19, users can now experience the latest iOS 26 on supported iPhone models.
As per Apple, the iOS 26 update will be available starting today (Monday). While the tech giant did not specify a time for the release of the OS update, previous iOS iterations have been rolled out at 10am PT (10:30pm IST if you're in India).
Thus, we can expect the latest update to be released around the same time.
Apple says all iPhone models that have been enrolled in the beta programme and have received subsequent updates will support the stable release of iOS 26. This includes the previous flagships such as the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, along with the affordable iPhone 16e.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air, which go on sale beginning September 19, will also come with the new iOS 26 update out-of-the-box.
As always, the Apple Intelligence features will be limited to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 series, iPhone 16e, iPhone 17 series, and the iPhone Air. The full list of devices includes:
1. iPhone 17 Series
2. iPhone Air
3. iPhone 16e
4. iPhone 16 Series
5. iPhone 15 Series
6. iPhone 14 Series
7. iPhone SE (2022)
8. iPhone 13 Series
9. iPhone 12 Series
10. iPhone 11 Series
iOS 26 can be installed on your iPhone by adhering to the following steps:
1. Open Settings on your iPhone
2. Navigate to the General tab to find the Software Update option
3. The iPhone will automatically check for any pending updates
4. Tap on the Download & Install option, read the terms and conditions and agree to them
5. iOS 26 will then be downloaded and installed on your iPhone
According to Apple, iOS 26 introduces a new Liquid Glass UI. It can reflect and refract light, thus reacting to its surrounding visual elements. The tech giant says it brings a more cohesive appearance across Apple devices, inspired by visionOS. Customisation options have been expanded for both the lock screen and the home screen. There's a new Clear option which can be applied to icons, in line with the Liquid Glass.
With iOS 26, Apple has also overhauled the interface of the Camera app, which has an improved layout and easy switching between different modes. Some of the changes to the Photos app introduced last year have been rolled back, with two separate tabs for Library and Collection views.
Apple's latest OS update also expands the Apple Intelligence Suite with the addition of Live Translation and Call Screening. The former leverages on-device AI models to automatically translate audio and text in real-time across English, French, German, Italian, and other languages.
Meanwhile, the latter is inspired by its namesake on Google Pixel devices, using Live Voicemail to collect information about the caller and their purpose behind calling. Recepients can then decide whether they want to take up the call.
Other changes in iOS 26 include AutoMix and Lyrics Translation in Apple Music, a new Apple Games app, the Visited Places option in Maps, and more dedicated actions for Image Playground and Writing Tools.
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