iOS 26 will be offered as a free over-the-air (OTA) software update for iPhone 11 and later models.
Concerns have been raised over readability of text with the Liquid Glass UI
Apple on Tuesday released the iOS 26 Beta 4 update for iPhone. It is initially available only to developers and beta testers, and brings key changes over the previous iteration, which was released earlier this month. Liquid Glass, which is Apple's new user interface (UI) design with glass-like elements, has again been dialled back up. The Cupertino-based tech giant has also re-enabled notification summaries for News & Entertainment months after it was deliberately disabled earlier this year. There are other subtle changes too, such as a slightly tweaked Camera app icon and updated Call Screening options.
At the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, Apple took the wraps off Liquid Glass as the new design language for its operating systems. It was meant to bring the UI of its devices at par with the Vision Pro headset, which features glass-like elements, aiming to deliver a more cohesive experience. However, its introduction was met with polarising opinions, with some considering it the start of a dazzling era for the company while others jokingly compared it with Windows Vista.
And although it got people talking, Apple seemed to be paying heed to the criticism on social media. With the third iOS 26 beta update released earlier this month, the tech giant toned down the glass reflections and made it a bit darker for more legibility. However, iOS 26 Beta 4 has again undone this move.
Apple's new iOS 26 Beta 4 update for iPhone
The OS carries a similar amount of reflections as the second beta update but with one key addition. Scrolling through notifications in the Notification Centre is now easier as the background automatically gets slightly darker in appearance, increasing the readability.
Apart from this, another key change is to Notification Summaries. In January, Apple disabled this feature following reports of Apple Intelligence generating erroneous summaries of headlines in the News & Entertainment category. Users can once again now quickly scan through key details in a summarised format and get condensed information.
The Camera app has also been slightly tweaked in appearance and there is a new splash screen which describes the UI changes in the app. Further, you can turn off Call Screening, ask unknown callers the reason behind them calling, or automatically silence calls from unknown callers, with new options for the Call Screening feature rolling out.
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