Apple used its WWDC 2025 keynote to usher in what feels like a generational shift for iPhone software—both in terms of visuals and naming. By previewing iOS 26 with its “Liquid Glass” design language and adopting a year-based numbering scheme, Apple is signaling a fresh chapter in how it presents and evolves iOS.

Why “26” instead of “19”?

For years, iOS followed a straightforward incremental pattern: after iOS 18 would have come iOS 19. This time around, Apple opted for a year-based label—iOS 26—aligning the release name with the calendar year following its introduction. It’s reminiscent of how automakers name models (e.g., a “2026” car arriving in 2025). The shift underscores Apple’s aim to position major iOS updates as annual landmarks tied closely to each year’s broader ecosystem context, rather than mere sequential steps. For users, the change is mostly cosmetic: feature rollout schedules remain tied to the usual summer beta and fall public release cycle. But narratively, it signals that Apple sees this redesign as a pivotal, epoch-defining leap rather than another incremental iteration.

Liquid Glass

At the heart of iOS 26 is Liquid Glass, a design language built around a new “translucent material” that dynamically reflects and refracts surroundings. Apple describes it as combining the “optical properties of glass with a sense of fluidity,” aiming to bring focus to content while maintaining familiarity. Across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, tvOS, and visionOS, Liquid Glass introduces rounded, translucent layers that “float” over backgrounds, letting wallpapers or underlying content subtly show through. The effect is intended to feel more expressive and lively than the flatter aesthetic that’s defined iOS since iOS 7.

On the Lock Screen, for instance, the time display can stretch or adapt to fill more of the screen, and spatial scenes in wallpapers gain a subtle 3D effect when the device moves. In Safari, webpages extend edge-to-edge with a floating tab bar overlaying content, minimizing chrome and maximizing immersion. The Camera app receives a streamlined layout, hiding many controls until needed for a cleaner capture experience. These changes are immediately noticeable: early hands-on impressions describe the interface as “glassy” and “shiny,” with UI elements that feel like they hover above underlying content, though some initial reactions note a slight learning curve and mixed spacing tweaks that Apple will likely refine ahead of the public release.

Beyond visuals, Apple is rethinking core app experiences:

• Phone app: Two marquee features—Call Screening and Hold Assist—leverage on-device intelligence to reduce spam interruptions and tedious wait times. Call Screening automatically answers unknown or suspected spam calls, asks the caller for their name and purpose, then rings you only if it deems the call legitimate; it builds on Live Voicemail but pushes further by extracting basic context before connecting. Hold Assist handles being stuck on hold: when the system detects hold music or automated wait loops, it can stay on the line for you and notify you when a real agent answers, letting you go about your day without endless muzak interruptions. These features aim to make phone calls feel less burdensome—something many users still appreciate despite messaging’s dominance.
• Messages: Apple is beefing up personalization and interactivity. Users can set custom chat backgrounds, either from Apple’s gallery, personal photos, or images generated via Image Playground (now integrated with ChatGPT), making conversations visually distinct. Poll creation arrives in group chats, with Apple Intelligence suggesting polls contextually when a decision point arises (e.g., scheduling or group plans). Group typing indicators finally let you see who’s composing a reply. Additionally, Messages can screen unknown senders into a dedicated folder, reducing spam distractions while still surfacing important verification codes or urgent communications.
• Camera & Photos: The Camera app’s UI is more minimal, hiding controls until needed, so framing feels less cluttered. Photos returns to a tab-based Library and Collections view after mixed feedback to previous redesigns. It also gains support for spatial photos with subtle parallax effects, emphasizing the Liquid Glass ethos of depth and layering.
• Safari & multitasking: Webpages extend edge-to-edge, and floating tab bars let content shine. Multitasking refinements in iPadOS 26 mirror this aesthetic, though specifics beyond iPhone weren’t deeply detailed in the keynote.

iOS 26 expands Apple Intelligence (AI) features introduced in iOS 18:

• Live Translation: On-device models handle real-time translation in Messages, phone or FaceTime calls, and other apps. For example, you could speak or type in one language and have the recipient see or hear it in theirs, all processed locally for privacy.
• Genmoji enhancements: Instead of solely text prompts, you can merge two existing emojis into a novel hybrid, making custom emoji creation more intuitive.
• Image Playground with ChatGPT: Now integrated more deeply, Image Playground lets you generate backgrounds or other images by interacting with ChatGPT-like prompts, blending user creativity and AI assistance for visuals in apps like Messages or Notes.
• Visual Intelligence: A new capability to act on what’s on-screen: taking a screenshot of a jacket in a social media Library and searching for it online, or snapping an event poster screenshot to create a calendar entry. You can even ask ChatGPT about on-screen content. These features echo Google Lens–style functionality but run locally for privacy.

Apple sprinkles Liquid Glass and AI into entertainment apps:

• Apple Music: Lyrics gain translation and pronunciation guides, useful for global tracks and language learners. AutoMix uses AI to create DJ-like transitions between songs, keeping playlists flowing seamlessly. You can pin favorite artists or playlists to the top for quicker access.
• Games app: A brand-new hub for games—aggregating downloaded App Store titles and Apple Arcade library, showing what friends are playing via Play Together, and leaderboards for friendly challenges. It centralizes gaming experiences in one place, reflecting how integral games have become on mobile.

Apple also bolsters utility apps with personalization and AI:

• Maps: Learns preferred routes (e.g., commute or frequent trips), notifying you proactively about delays or traffic. A Visited Places log helps you revisit or share places you’ve been, useful for social sharing or personal logs.
• Wallet: Digital IDs roll out more broadly (starting fall), and boarding passes get refreshed with access to indoor airport maps for smoother navigation. Apple Pay taps AI to track orders made outside of Apple Pay itself, consolidating purchase tracking in one place.
• CarPlay: Visual tweaks preserve navigation while showing incoming calls compactly. Messages in CarPlay add Tapbacks and pinned conversations. Other new CarPlay features include AutoMix integration and lyric translation for in-car listening.

iOS 26 developer beta dropped on June 9, 2025, with public beta expected in July and final release this fall. It supports iPhone 11 and newer, dropping iPhone XS/XS Max/XR from the roster. Apple Intelligence features (e.g., Live Translation, advanced Visual Intelligence) require the latest silicon (A17 Pro or newer), meaning iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 series will get the full AI suite.

iOS 26 is Apple’s second major AI-forward update after iOS 18. While iOS 18 introduced basics like writing tools and Genmoji, some promised Siri upgrades were delayed. This time, Live Translation, Visual Intelligence, and on-device AI APIs for developers hint at deeper commitments, though Apple’s AI may still trail rivals in contextual sophistication (e.g., Call Screening vs. Google’s Call Screen). Early hands-on feedback praises Liquid Glass’s polish but notes initial adjustments—spacing, readability in certain contexts, and performance tweaks. Apple clearly plans refinements before fall release.

Privacy remains central: all AI features touted run on-device, limiting data exposure. But success depends on balancing capability with efficiency on varying hardware generations. Developers will get APIs for translation and AI services, inviting creative third-party uses within Apple’s privacy guardrails.